Bebot Samsom, provincial social development worker, identified the child as Christopher Pitallar. The boy was on board a pumpboat with his parents at dawn when the boat hit a drifting hardwood. The child fell into the raging floodwaters. He was the seventh person reported to have died in the area because of the floods.
Samson said clearing operations from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte to Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur continue and the road is expected to be fully passable by Friday if the weather permits.
At least 1,500 evacuees are still in Kapatagan Central School, Lapinig barangay hall and Kapatagan gymnasium in Poblacion. Samson said Governor Imelda Dimaporo left for Manila to follow up assistance for the repair and rehabilitation of infrastructure, particularly the heavily-damaged school buildings.
Dimaporo has declared her province under a state of calamity.
In Lala town, 13 barangays were also affected by the flashfloods.
Frank Bihod, Kapatagan Municipal Agriculture Officer reported that in the interior barangay of La Libertad, Kapatagan, at least two houses and cornfields were damaged by landslide and mudflow.
In Campo Islam, Sultan Naga Dimaporo town, four vehicles were buried by landslide, including a grader from the Department of Public works and Highways.
Bong Alburo, Project Coordinator of HanjinHeavy Industries, said they are presently clearing the road from Kapatagan to Sultan Naga Dimporo.
Commuters from Cotabato City and SND will have to pass through Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur to Ozamiz if they wish to travel to other parts of Northern Mindanao and Zamboanga del Norte, Alburo said. (Richel V. Umel/MindaNews)