Fireworks And Floods: How Victorias Welcomed 2021

(Dazed residents watching 

their flooded homes from dry land)

Just as Victorias City (of Negros Occidental in the Philippines) was welcoming the Year 2021 with fireworks at 10PM of December 31, the waters were slowly overflowing from the two rivers, Malihaw and Magnanud, that cut through some of the city's barangays. 

During the day, one could see from the city center that the nearby mountains, where tributaries to the rivers originated, were covered with dark clouds that signified heavy downpours. Their slopes were drenched the whole day and were not able to absorb all the precipitation.

(A pig tied to a pole) 

(A resident wades through waist-deep 

waters of Barangay 1)

So by the time the residents were out on the streets that night, me included, to watch the fireworks on new year's eve, the barangays (city districts) located next to the rivers already started to experience the effects of their swelling. 

Estelita, a senior citizen living at Toreno Heights Subdivision in Barangay 9, which sits next to a river, told me that around 9PM, waters already reached her gates. But past midnight, it was inside her house, and by early morning, Noneco, the power company turned off the electric supply in the city to prevent electrocution from live sockets in homes or from live wires dangling around.

Soon after midnight, people had to frantically evacuate and move to higher grounds. They had to take shelter at the city's coliseum, cultural center, commercial center, barangay halls, and other places where they could spend the night with their children, frail senior citizens, family members with disabilities, and pets.

Some families who raised hogs in their own backyard piggeries were not able to save them. The lucky ones were dragged out to higher areas and tied to poles. 

When daylight came, the whole city woke up to people and children sleeping on the pavements, crowded evacuation centers, and with many more sleepless and still in shock as to what happened to them on the first day of the year.

(The Magnanud River overflows)

(A statue of the Blessed Virgin quietly 

sits in the middle of a flooded area)

As if the Year 2020 was not bad enough, here they were, hours after welcoming 2021, away from home, dazed, worried and nowhere to go.

Luckily, by midmorning, on January 1, a Friday, the waters receded and most of them were able to go home.

But then, just after a week, on the night of January 8, 2021, also a Friday, the same factors came together to cause another flooding. This time, the waters were higher and came earlier in the evening.

(Victoriahanons watch the raging waters from Magnanud Bridge)

(A man paddles his boat through the flooded neighborhood in Bangga Daan area)

The evacuations happened immediately because the flooding was much higher and faster. It was like the new year's flood was just a drill on how to prepare for a bigger flood.

The barangay hall near our place was already filling up with evacuees by 10PM, and we even welcomed a family into our home. This was a time for us who were not affected to extend help to those who were.😊

Again, by daybreak, at flooded neighborhoods, most of the men in the family were on the streets watching their flooded homes from afar, while other members were at barangay halls, other evacuation centers and even at friends' homes.

(A sow catches some lost sleep next to a 

bus terminal in the Bangga Daan area)

(Unfortunate fruit vendors from out-of-town 

watch an inundated fruit and vegetable 

market from higher grounds)

On that first flood on new year's day, I got up early to buy some bread for the evacuees at our barangay hall. Unfortunately, there was no bakery open as workers went home for the holidays. We only had some coffee packs and bottled water to give.

On the second flood, however, as bakeries were already in operation, I was able to buy packs of pan de sal, the only ones left at the bakery stalls, to give out. I gave a couple of packs to the family taking shelter at the pavement outside a store and some to the evacuees.😎

(This area of the fruit and vegetable market 

should have been crowded with vendors 

and customers as it was a Saturday)

(The cemetery is all covered with murky 

waters from the Magnanud River)

As the waters were higher this time, the electric company restored power in the evening when most of the flooding had receded. 

The earliest recorded flooding in Victorias was on January 9, 1907, and another one in 1922 (read blog here). The one in recent memory was in November 1995, about 25 years ago.

With a lot of factors contributing to this disaster, I think we should all be preparing for another one. I heard people saying that cutting of trees at the mountains and rampant quarrying of river banks contributed to the flood.😡

I guess poor waste management and lack of city planning should also be added to that.😡

It's not a matter of 'if'. It's a matter of 'when' another flood will ruin the locals' livelihood and properties. 

The city government should discuss with the people its plans of action to address the issues on how to prepare for these disasters and to minimize the impact on their way of life.

These are some of the photos I took.😢

(My bag full of packs of pan de sal for the evacuees)

Note: Thanks to the many donors (mostly anonymous), we were able to distribute some relief goods to the families of the flood areas of the city (read this blog).🙏