Cagayan de Oro Hit by Flash Flood

It's been almost 2 decades since I experienced a flash floods on our old home in Barangay Carmen but after that flood in 1989 caused by typhoon Ruping, our family decided to transfer in Barangay Kauswagan around 1992. We decided to transfer because it is not easy being hit by a flash floods. The trauma, tension, fear and inconvenience are some of the feelings you can experience. Being trapped inside your house surrounded by flood waters makes you feel so scared that it might be the end of your life specially those times when I was just 10 years old and don’t know how to swim.

Now after 20 years, flash floods took place again on the same area where we previously lived. Early this morning, I just arrived home from Iligan City when I heard a radio reports about flash flood in Carmen area and the rest of the area near the Cagayan de Oro River. Without hesitations and still sleepy I prepared myself and headed to the areas being reported to witness the incident. When I arrived at the area near my childhood home, I was so surprised to see that it is not just the ordinary flood because for a few flash floods I experienced before this one is the most powerful. It reaches almost at the rooftops of the houses. I was so worried because I have some relatives who are still living on the very spot of this picture:

But thank God I received a text message from one of the relatives that they are all fine but just trapped inside their home, only they stayed on the elevated areas. Earlier they can see houses being dragged along the river and few individuals being rescued and a mother and child who were also rescued along the rushing river. Numbers of cattle were also found dead and was butchered by some residents.

Residents said that the flash flood started around 6 in the morning and they thought it is just a small flash flood but later around 7am a big wave hit the homes of residents of Carmen and that is when the water volume increased rapidly and trapped them unprepared inside their homes.

Until now, as of this writing, the flood still continues but the water is decreasing. Some residents were being temporarily sheltered at the West City Central School in Carmen until they can go back to their respective houses when the flood stops. Relief goods are also distributed to the victims and Medical attentions are also given.

More Cagayan de Oro Flash Floods Photos