Lights went off and trees fell as a sudden strong wind whipped Bohol last night with a downpour in tow.
Strong enough, the wind that lasted for even just barely half an hour toppled trees, mostly seven meters tall, that littered the roads in some parts of Bohol with branches broken and leaves crushed by the passing vehicles.
A motorized banca also sank in the seawaters of Albur at midnight.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Bohol office in Tagbilaran City confirmed having received a report from the Coast Guard Marine and Transportation (CGMT) unit in the town of Loay at around 9:30 p.m. that a motorized banca, MBCA Kyle Chloe, had been spotted already half-submerged in the vicinity off barangay Tagbuane.
According to CGMT-Loay team, “a family of fishermen appeared before them” seeking assistance for the search and rescue of MBCA Kyle Chloe with two fishermen onboard.
At that time, the sinking banca was already towed by another motorized banca manned by a certain Gesrel Custodio.
However, the fishermen said they needed the assistance of the CGMT team as Custodio had difficulty towing the sinking banca because of unfavorable sea condition.
At around 9:45, the CGMT-Loay team “proceeded to Tagbuane area in Albur to verify the report and to provide assistance.
At around 11 p.m., the CGMT-Loay team departed Tagbuane and proceeded to assist in the towing of MBCA Kyle Chloe.
After 30 minutes, the rescue team already spotted the banca being towed by another.
The rescue team “decided to leave the half-submerged MBCA Kyle Chloe and “secured the survivors back to the shoreline for safety”.
The team succeeded in bringing the two survivors safely to shorelines of barangay Tagbuane at around 12:10 a.m.
The CGMT-Loay identified the survivors as 46-year-old Victor Caballes and 48-year-old, both residents of Poblacion Ibabao in Loay.
DOWNPOUR
The heavy downpour continued up to around 2 a.m., flooding the roads with rainwater, especially in areas with poor drainage systems.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) then announced an “unscheduled power interruption affecting parts of Bohol at 8:39 last night”, shortly after the blow of the strong wind and the pouring of heavy rain.
NGCP attributed the unscheduled power interruption to the “tripping of Tagbilaran-Garcia 69-kilovolt line”, affecting consumers of Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BLCI) in Tagbilaran City and of Bohol I Electric Cooperative (Boheco I) in nearby towns.
NGCP restored power transmission services in parts of Bohol at 9:54 p.m. upon the restoration of its Tagbilaran-Garcia 69kV line.
NGCP further explained that its Circuit 2 – Garcia Hernandez line was out.
BLCI’s affected feeders included Feeders A, C, E and F.
Feeder B serves Poblacion 3 throughout R. Enerio St., Tamblot St., and part of B. Inting St.; CPG North Ave. (from cor. Tamblot to FCB-Taloto); B. Aquino Ave., T. Cloma Ave.; part of Cogon from New Calceta, Glovasa St., to Airport Rd.
Feeder D covers barangay Dampas- -from Candait, Binayran, St. Joseph Village, and Mercedez Village; whole of Dao, Tiptip, San Isidro, Cabawan, Mangga, Ubujan, and Peñaflor St. from Water Paradise to Ubujan, Taloto Coastal Rd., and part of Taloto along P. Cabalit St.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued Heavy Rainfall Warning No.1 at 9:45 p.m. yesterday, attributing it to an Intertropical Convergence Zone.
PAGASA placed Bohol, Southern Cebu, Southern Negros Island and Siquijor under Code Yellow which means flooding is possible in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas.
Code Yellow comes with the advice that all should “take precautionary measures against heavy rains, strong winds and lightning”.
With it, PAGASA also advised “the public and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council concerned to monitor the weather condition”.
It started with thunderstorms at 8:45 p.m. affecting Southern Bohol and spread to the rest of the province shortly.