40 Iloilo City barangays flooded amid relentless rains

ILOILO CITY — Flooding spread to 40 barangays across seven districts of Iloilo City on Friday, July 24, as continuous heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon (habagat) submerged roads and residential areas, forcing authorities to closely monitor the worsening situation. The Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (ICEOC) reported that as of 3:30 p.m., flooding had been recorded in 40 of the city’s 180 barangays, with only one barangay, Calumpang in Molo District, reporting that flood waters had subsided by mid-afternoon. The widespread flooding came as Habagat continued to dump heavy rains over Panay Island, prompting the state weather bureau to place Iloilo City and several municipalities under red rainfall warning earlier in the day. The weather disturbance also led to the suspension of face-to-face classes in Iloilo City and numerous municipalities across Iloilo Province. READ: Tuguegarao City, 24 towns suspend face-to-face classes due to Kiyapo According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the worst flooding was recorded in several communities where water reached knee to waist levels. In Mandurriao District, floodwaters in Taft North rose to as high as 35 to 37 inches, while Don Esteban in Lapuz recorded up to 36 inches of flood waters. In La Paz, floodwaters reached as high as 30 inches in parts of Divinagracia and knee level in Lopez Jaena Sur and Loboc. Molo District recorded the highest number of flooded barangays at 12, followed by La Paz with eight, City Proper with six, Mandurriao with six, Lapuz with three, Jaro with three and Arevalo with two. Among the affected communities were Poblacion, San Juan, Cochero, East Baluarte, Taal, Infante, South San Jose, East Timawa, West Timawa, San Antonio and Katilingban in Molo; Kahirupan, Ortiz, Esperanza Tanza, Timawa Tanza, Inday and Zamora-Melliza in City Proper; Divinagracia, Lopez Jaena Sur, Nabitasan, Lopez Jaena Norte, Bantud, Baldoza, Jereos and Ticud in La Paz; Oñate de Leon, Calahunan, Navais, PHHC Block 17, Tabucan and Taft North in Mandurriao; Sinikway, Loboc and Don Esteban in Lapuz; Calubihan, San Isidro and Balabago in Jaro; and Sooc and Yulo Drive in Arevalo. Flood depths ranged from four inches in several low-lying streets to nearly three feet in the hardest-hit communities, inundating homes, residential alleys and major access roads. The latest flooding further underscored the impact of the southwest monsoon, which has already caused widespread flooding across Iloilo and neighboring provinces, prompting rescue operations, road closures and extensive class suspensions throughout Western Visayas. City disaster response teams continued monitoring flood-prone areas and advised residents living near rivers, creeks and low-lying communities to remain alert, monitor official advisories and evacuate immediately if conditions worsen. /mr