AS police and disaster authorities were convened to discuss and coordinate operations, the Loboc River continues to rise, breaching an estimated two meter from its banks. The flooding has reached about lapped from two inches above the landing at the Loboc Tourism Complex at 8:00 monitoring to about 42 inches noontime and the water continues to rise, local contacts report. Early this morning, two gates at the Ewon Hydro power plant in up-river town of Sevilla was opened due to water build-up in its dams breaching critical levels. Eyewitness accounts recounted that the flood has reached the top level of the two meter flood control embankments erected along the town river sides.

Another source said a house owned by the Jimenez' has already been flooded, it being in the lowest part and reachable by floodwaters. A formerly critical area in the national highway near the low lying ricefields of Barangay Gotozon has already been spared as the government raised the road levels recently. A few inches more and the national road portion at the back of the town church and convent would be flooded confirmed a Loboc Tourism Complex worker in a telephone interview. School children at the Loboc Central Elementary school who comes from far-flung areas and especially those who would have to cross the bridge were already sent home. This as local authorities map out areas now affected by the rising waters and prepare disaster relief operations. Residents along the river have been alarmed and preparations for immediate evacuation are set, said PIsnp John Gano, Loboc police chief. (racPIABohol)