Classes suspended; students saved after river overflows in Medellin
Rains since Thursday have caused a river in Barangay Caputatan Norte, Medellin town to overflow, causing the mayor to suspend classes there.
(MEDELLIN FB)
WAIST-deep flooding caused by an overflowing river and creek brought about by rains since Thursday prompted municipal officials of Medellin town in northern Cebu to suspend classes at the Caputatan Norte public elementary and high school yesterday morning.
This also prompted the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (LDRRMO) of Medellin to send out trucks to rescue students stranded at the Caputatan Norte public school and to conduct a preemptive evacuation of some residents living near an overflowing creek in another barangay.
Mayor Joven Mondigo issued a memorandum suspending classes and advised residents to take precautionary measures and prepare for unfavorable weather conditions and heavy rain forecast.
But before Mondigo declared the suspension of classes, Gemma Villamor, LDRRMO officer, already sent out trucks to rescue the students.
Villamor said that there was a waist-deep water flooding Barangay Caputatan Norte that has a population of about 2,890.
“The water yesterday almost reached critical level because it was raining since (Thursday) evening,” Villamor said.
Posts on the town’s Facebook page said that some of the students were left stranded while about to cross a bridge in Sitio Martinez that leads to their school.
Flooding made the bridge impassable for the day.
The river, which overflowed, is about three kilometers away from the Caputatan Norte public elementary and high school.
Preemptive evacuation was also ordered in Sitio Bangon in Barangay Poblacion, Medellin after the nearby creek overflowed.
Villamor said that there were six families or 17 individuals who were evacuated to the barangay hall.
Villamor said that around 6 p.m., the flood already subsided and the roads going to and coming from Medellin were already passable.
Aside from Caputatan Norte, Villamor said that there were also floods in Barangays Lamintak Norte and Caputatan Sur.
Medellin town is located about 116.5 kilometers away from Cebu City.
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