DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/13 January) – Floods spawned by a Low Pressure Area in Mindanao have affected 26,801 families in Regions 10, 11 and 13 (Caraga), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.
According to the NDRRMC situation report as of 6am of Jan. 13, a total of 132,379 individuals have been affected in 86 barangays and 26 municipalities in 10 provinces of these areas.
The NDRRMC also reported that 22 roads and 13 bridges have been rendered impassable.
In Tarragona, Lupon, Boston, Cateel, Manay, Caraga, and Governor Generoso, all in Davao Oriental, and in New Bataan in Compostela Valley, 113 houses were totally damaged and 138 partially damaged.
Classes were suspended in Compostela Valley Monday, according to the report, with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils of Albay and Surigao del Norte issuing similar advisories.
So far, two persons have been reported missing in the Caraga region. They were identified as Jolito Solima Agatia, 32, and Michael Paran, 14.
Agatia was reportedly swept by strong currents while crossing the Aciga River in Santiago town, Agusan del Norte, and Paran was also carried away while crossing the Mat-i River in Taganaan town, Surigao del Norte.
The Saug River in Asuncion and Libuganon River, both in Davao del Norte, were reported to have overflowed.
Flights from Manila to Ozamiz, Dumaguete, Cagayan, Masbate, Butuan, Surigao, Tacloban, and Kalibo were cancelled on Sunday due to bad weather.
In Region 12, however, the weather condition has continued to improve in the last two days as the LPA that was earlier spotted near the region has moved towards northeastern Mindanao where massive flooding has occurred.
Edward Daligdig, operations assistant of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Region 12, said Monday the region was so far spared from any major flooding and other related disasters as the weather disturbance only spawned light to moderate rains in the area.
“We have not received any report regarding major floods and landslides in any part of Region 12 due to the effects of the LPA,” he told MindaNews.
Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
Daligdig said the area experienced almost nonstop rains last Saturday but the volume of rainfall was considered minimal.
He said there were some areas, especially in this city, that experienced light surges of floodwaters but these did not affect local households and later subsided.
As of 4am Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the LPA, which was monitored last Saturday afternoon at around 250 kilometers southeast of this city, was seen moving at the vicinity of Surigao Del Sur.
It cautioned that parts of Mindanao will continue to experience cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.
Moderate to strong winds from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Mindanao while the coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough, the agency noted.
Jenelyn Bartolome, OCD-Region 12 information officer, said the flood and landslide alerts remains in effect in the entire region as they expect the area to experience occasional rains within the next few days.
“We’re closely monitoring the situation on the ground through the local government units and our area coordinators,” she said.
She urged local residents to remain vigilant and continually monitor the weather advisories, especially updates, for their areas.
Bartolome added that it’s important for residents to be well-informed of the weather situation and be ready in case calamities will occur. (MindaNews)