Samar is wallowing in floodwaters

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
February 19, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Continuous heavy rains have submerged some areas in Samar with floodwaters.

In Catbalogan City, the government offices building which are situated near a creek have been flooded during the weekend. The government offices building ground floor houses the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA). These offices have experienced flooding inside their offices.

In Gandara, Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWDO) Lydia Badiola reported that flood assistance is the immediate need of the families affected by flood which is estimated to number 500 to 1,740 persons. These flood victims are residents of Barangays Minda, Dumaloong, Tagnao, Catorse de Agosto, Bunagan, Casab ahan, Nacube, San Pelayo, Concepcion, Tambongan and Ngoso. She added that the flood victims needed food assistance.

She also cited that some carline barangays are not passable due to floodwaters.

In the other direction, from Catbalogan to Tacloban, floodwaters in Pinabacdao caused delay in travel.

The Buray-Taft road has also suffered from landslides. In Barangay San Isidro, Paranas, the whole road pavement has collapsed prompting smaller vehicles to reroute in the road shoulders.

The rerouting caused tension when the unidentified owner of the land immediately fenced off his property to stop motor vehicles from passing in his land. Big buses bound for Tacloban have suspended their operation for the meantime.

The crew of MIA bus line (Borongan-Tacloban via Taft-Wright) said that their trips are temporarily cancelled due to the surging floodwaters in Taft barangays adjacent to Taft River which caused the roads to be impassable.

In Borongan, buses bound for Manila take the Borongan-Basey route; but news from the bus company said that the approach to Vigan, Gen MacArthur Bridge has been washed out.