Usman’s floods displace 282 families in N. Samar

TACLOBAN CITY — Floods have displaced 282 families or 1,280 individuals in 12 barangays in Catarman, Northern Samar, due to heavy rains spawned by Tropical Depression “Usman.”

The families have been staying in the town’s auditorium after floods hit Barangay Yakal, Narra, Ipil-ipil, Bangkerohan, Dalakit, Talisay, Baybay, Molave, Macagtas, Abad Santos, Casoy, and Mabolo.

Emeral Guevarra said only nine out of 55 barangays in the town were not affected by the worst flooding to hit Catarman in recent years.

Landslides were also reported in Barangay Macagtas, Sitio Tabor of UEP (University of Eastern Philippines) 3 and Sitio Tabor of UEP 1 and Purok 7 of Barangay Doña Polqueria.

Senior Insp. Ronnie Abendan, Lope de Vega police chief, said he and his men were trapped inside the police station in Barangay Poblacion.

“Our mess hall, which we used as our kitchen, was destroyed due to the flood. Some of our office equipment like our filing cabinet were also damaged,” he said, adding that floodwater has yet to subside in the area.

Abendan said they received information that some persons were missing, but they could not provide details as of posting time.

Usman dumped 300 millimeters of rain in Catarman, the highest water level recorded by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in the province in 20 years.

Feleon Corona, Pagasa Northern Samar manager, said the highest rainfall measured in Catarman was in 1988 at 485 mm.

“That was 24 hours of torrential rains, where almost the whole Northern Samar province was engulfed in floodwaters. But there was no typhoon that time,” she said.

The 300 mm rainfall recorded on Friday was within 10 hours of raining, Corona said.