RAIN TRIGGERS FLOOD, TRAFFIC
Many passengers in Lapu-Lapu were stranded after several PUJs did not travel to Mandaue because of the flood there.
Heavy rain early yesterday morning caused floods in parts of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, including a portion of the route that senior officials from all over Southeast Asia took on the road to a meeting. Local authorities expected a busy start to the week, with finance and defense officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cebu for some conferences, but the heavy rain added to their challenges. Hundreds of passengers were stranded.
Flooding and traffic congestion were experienced in some major roads in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, including the ceremonial route for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit, following a heavy rain yesterday morning.
Lapu-Lapu Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (DRRMO) Andy Berame said hundreds of passengers were stranded after several public utility jeepneys decided not to travel to Mandaue because of the flood- ing on A. C. Cortes Ave., near Mandaue Mactan Bridge.
“A portion of the road of Barangays Ibo and Buaya was flooded. This is the road Asean delegates will use going to the Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa, the Asean venue,” said Berame.
The Asean finance meeting is ongoing in Shangri-La until April 8, while the defense meeting is held at the Radisson Blu Cebu, starting yesterday until April 7.
Berame said the water immediately subsided after they used the City's declogger truck and suction pumps.
He said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also sent a team to assist them.
He said that they didn't receive any reports of delegates getting stranded.
Other areas that experienced flooding were the corner of Sitio Datag in Barangay Maribago and some parts of Barangay Basak.
In Mandaue, Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said the worst flooding happened in Barangay Looc after water flowed back from an existing drainage on A. C. Cortes Ave., near the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu-Mandaue.
Mandaue DRRMO Felix Suico said he had no data, as press time, on how many houses were flooded.
Suico said the ongoing construction of the U-turn slot under the bridge caused the clogged drainage.
“The DPWH will divert the drainage outfall,” he said.
He said the flooding in the Mandaue caused heavy traffic.
There were no reports of delegates for the Asean meetings held in LapuLapu City getting affected by the flood. Lapu-Lapu Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
The knee-deep flood on A. C. Cortes Ave. started to subside at 8:30 a.m.
Other areas affected by kneedeep waters were Barangay Tipolo, A.S. Fortuna St. and corner of D.M. Cortes St. and A.Soriano Ave.
Meanwhile, a portion of the fence of an auto shop in Barangay Tingub was damaged after the establishment's riprap collapsed due to the rush of water of Butuanon River.
Suico said they received the information at 9 a.m. "The soil on the river bank became soft that's why the riprap collapsed," he said in Cebuano.
The shop's operation was put on hold after the City Environment and Natural Resources Office found that it did not comply with all permits.