By Ernie B. Esconde
BALANGA CITY, Bataan, (PNA) — Monsoon rains Sunday night until Monday morning caused heavy flooding in major areas in the commercial district of this city and adjacent villages.
Personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Army’s 24th Infantry Battalion and barangay officials undertook rescue operations on more than 30 people, mostly children, trapped by turbulent flood waters in sitio Rio del Mar in barangay Cupang Proper here.
Barangay captain Norman Guila said they have warned residents to evacuate.
“However, there are some of them who are stubborn and thought that the level of floodwater would not rise. But what happened was the sudden rise of floodwater,” the village chief said.
He said that as of 1:00 a.m. Monday, they conducted preemptive evacuation along the flood-prone areas but some residents thought that there was no danger so decided to stay in their houses.
“ But, there was a sudden rise of floodwater. That’s why some families, mostly children, were trapped in their houses,” Guila said.
“The residents were surprised with the sudden increase of floodwater level,” barangay secretary Romano Baul said.
Among those rescued were twins aged three months.
“We cannot went out because our nipa hut submerged to floodwater,” said an exhausted old woman.
Flood waters from two to three feet deep hit barangays Ibayo, Tenejero, Dona Francisca, Cataning, San Jose, Poblacion and Tuyo.
The Plaza Mayor de Balanga sandwiched between the elegant St. Joseph Cathedral, cityhall and business establishments was with waist-deep flood waters.
A portion of the MacArthur Highway adjacent to the four-lane road in Tuyo was not passable to all types of vehicles.
Department stores, convenient stores and other businesses and private offices were all closed the whole day of Monday.