One dead, over a hundred people evacuated as heavy flooding hit northern Cebu

Jay Waren Almaden , 27-year-old employee in Lapu-Lapu City, was found dead at the downstream portion of Tangon River in Barangay Sta. Rosa, Danao City on Wednesday afternoon, local authorities confirmed.

Almaden was the only one found dead due to floods where as over hundreds of people were being evacuated in several parts of Cebu due heavy flooding.

Rolando Reyes, head of Danao City’s DRRMO, said that Almaden drowned while trying to cross the spillway.

“Possibly he tried to cross the spillway and it was slippery. The spillway was not that wide but due to rains in the mountains, the current was strong and maybe he was swept away to deeper parts,” said Reyes.

Almaden’s body was stuck in floodwater debris that was washed ashore on the banks of Tangon River in Barangay Sta. Rosa past 4 p.m on Wednesday, or around seven hours since he was reported missing to the authorities

“If the river’s water levels haven’t subsided, the body wouldn’t have been exposed to passersby,” he explained. Reyes also said that Barangay Oguis is a village near bodies of water and is just 20 to 30 kilometers away from where the dead body of Almaden was found.

Tangon River spilled water around 6 am on Wednesday, alerting the local government of Danao City to evacuate families living in risky areas.

PAGASA announced on December 2 that rains that poured in Cebu were due to the presence of two weather systems – the tail-end of a frontal system and the extensions of a low-pressure (LPA).

Photo from CDN Digital