‘Abnormal flooding’ isolates 11 villages in Catanduanes town

LEGAZPI CITY-—Eleven villages in San Miguel town in Catanduanes province are now isolated due to heavy flooding Wednesday as heavy rains continued to pour over Bicol provinces.

Mayor Francisco Camano, Jr. described the flooding as “abnormal” and the “worst I have ever seen.”

He said the flooding has caused them difficulties in providing help and relief goods to 11 villages, including four hinterland villages.

For now, they are providing help to persons with disabilities and pregnant women in areas they are able to reach.

“This is abnormal. This is the worst flooding I have ever experienced here. I grew up here and I have never seen anything like this,” Camano said. He added that it is difficult to predict flooding like this because of climate change.

San Miguel is the only landlocked town in Catanduanes. To get to other villages, residents cross a river using boats and then walk across a peanut plantation that they call “napo.”

According to Camano, the water from the river overflowed, affecting the napo. All ferry services were not allowed to cross the river until the weather has normalized.

The villages of Pacogon, Siay, Dayawa, Obo, Patagan Salvacion, Patagan, Sta. Elena, and San Juan were isolated by the flooding.

The sitios (sub-villages) of hinterland villages Balatohan, Pagsangahan, Katipunan and Kilikilihan were isolated due to a landslide incident.

At 10 a.m., the national road in Progreso village was impassable due to a landslide, but the road later became passable, the San Miguel Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the road was now passable.