GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/16 July) – At least 21 families in Koronadal City and Surallah town in South Cotabato lost their homes after a mild tornado and a rain-triggered landslide hit anew the area, local disaster officials said Friday.
Mary Jane Gabucan, Koronadal City disaster and coordinating council coordinator, said at least 13 houses were destroyed last Wednesday by a mild twister that swept at least two farming villages in the area.
Hardest hit was Barangay Namnama, which reported at least nine houses damaged, while Barangay Mabini listed at least four damaged houses.
“Two of the affected houses were totally destroyed by the strong winds brought by the tornado,” Gabucan said in a radio interview.
She said they are still assessing the damage wrought by the twister on the area’s agricultural crops, particularly on palay and corn.
In Surallah town, Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council action officer Socorro Subillaga said at least eight families in Barangay Canahay lost their homes following a landslide in the area.
She said the landslide, which was triggered by continuous heavy rains in the area, destroyed at least four houses that hosted the eight families.
“The houses were totally devastated by the mix of big rocks and soil that fell from an upland portion of the area. Fortunately, no one was inside those four houses when the landslide happened,” she said.
Subillaga, who also heads the Surallah Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, said they initially sent some food supplies Thursday for the affected families in the area.
She said they will seek the help of concerned government agencies for the provision of shelter assistance for the victims. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
