River in Danao City overflows; 30 families evacuated

Ongoing search and rescue operations near Tangon River in Danao City on December 2, 2020. | Photo courtesy of Danao City DRRMO

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Disaster and rescue personnel in Danao City are currently doing evacuation and search and rescue operations after one of the city’s major tributaries overflowed on Wednesday morning, December 2, 2020.

Roland Reyes, head of the Danao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), confirmed to CDN Digital that the Tangon River overflowed around 6 a.m. on Wednesday due to incessant rains. 

Read: Rainy 1st week of December expected in Cebu

Reyes said they have evacuated around 30 families residing in areas near the river and are considered high-risk to flooding. 

“We have deployed our personnel from the SRR (Search, Rescue, Retrieval) unit to conduct evacuation as well as search and rescue operations in affected areas,” Reyes said in Cebuano.

He added that water swelled in the downstream portion of the Tangon River after heavy rains were experienced upstream.

As of 10:15 a.m., Reyes said evacuation is still ongoing as they have identified at least six barangays affected by the overflowing river.  These are Barangays Poblacion, Suba, Taboc, Guinacot, Taytay, and Guinsay.

“We are also continually monitoring the water levels of Tangon River, and we urge the public to be vigilant in their surroundings. If their officials said they need to evacuate, they must do so,” added Reyes in Cebuano.  

/bmjo