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Thousands lose homes as flood hits city, 3 towns
BY JUDY F. PARTLOW, ROMY AMARADO & MARICAR ARANAS
Visayan Daily Star, Archived in January 2009

More than 2,000 households in seven barangays in Valencia, Negros Oriental are now skimping on water after flashfloods triggered by heavy rains damaged a major water source in that town on New Year’s eve.

Meanwhile, about P2 million in damage was caused by busted water pipes that partially washed out three residential houses, some livestock and cornfields due for harvest in Maayong-tubig, Dauin, while in  Vallehermoso, eight major flashfloods were recorded.

In Dumaguete City, at least eight houses in barangays Junob and Balugo were also washed out and scores of others were damaged.

In Valencia, it may take a week or even longer to fix the Catmon source that supplies water to the villages of Balugo, East Balabag, West Balabag, Balayag Manok, Kalayugan, Bong-ao, and Palinpinon, site of the 192.5 megawatt geothermal power plants, sources said.

No casualty was reported  in the separate floodings.

At least six distribution pipelines of the Catmon water source, located in Barangay Apolong, were carried away when the Banica River overflowed at the height of the New Year’s Eve celebration.

Heavy rains had triggered flashfloods that night, leaving hundreds of families homeless and millions worth of houses and other properties damaged, initial police reports had said.

The Valencia government has diverted another major water source to deliver water during prescribed hours in the affected villages of Palinpinon, Balayag Manok, and Bong-ao, while a water tanker has been deployed to East and West Balabag, Kalayugan and Balugo.

The local government recovered the washed out pipelines downstream the Banica River.

Repair crew are working to bring back water supply to the affected villages, however, their timeline depends on whether they get a break in the weather especially with a low pressure area sighted in the region, the same sources said.

IN DAUIN

Negros Oriental Deputy Provincial Director for Operations, Sr. Supt.  Rey Lyndon Lawas, said there was no  potable  water  supply  because of  the  flood in barangays Maayongtubig, Malongcay Daco, Bagacay, Anhawan  and Masaplod Sur, in Dauin.

IN VALLEHERMOSO

In  Vallehermoso, Lawas said the eight  major flashed floods  affected areas Sitio Cabanglay,  Barangay Bagawines,  Barangay Poblacion, Makapso, Tabon and Puan. Also, a  reported  landslide occurred  in Sitio Cantuba, Barangay Macapso  and Sitio Cabaron and  Mayon of  Barangay Tagbino.

Reports  also  revealed that  a  three-hectare papaya  plantation in  Barangay  Bagawines  was  also washed  away.*JFP/RA/MA

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