Heavy rains bring floods to 3 eastern Misor towns

By EDWIN IYO
Correspondent

AT least 400 people were affected by floodwaters spawned by heavy rains in three eastern Misamis Oriental towns over the weekend.

Affected by floodings were a number of villages in Kinoguitan, Balingoan and Talisayan, officials said.

The most badly affected were the coastal barangays of Baukbauk and Lapinig in Balingoan town, and  Mandahilag, Tagbocbok and Sta. Ines in Talisayan.

Part of Barangay Bolisong in Kinoguitan was also flooded. There, seven households were affected.

Talisayan Mayor Rommel Maslog said floodwaters hit his town  at around 7 pm on Saturday.

He said many townsfolk panicled, and the town government started preemptive evacuations.

Maslog said there was a landslide along the highway in Pampangon in Talisayan, resulting in a traffic jam.

He said it started to rain hard at around 5:30 pm, and an hour later, rising floodwaters were already threatening villages.

Balingoan councilor Roberto Corrales recounted that floodwaters briefly submerged a community in his town. After 15 minutes, he said, the muddy water receded.

“Daghan mga kabtangan sa katawhan damaged sama sa mga personal belongings… dinhi sa Balingoan,” said Corrales.

Jocelyn Caralde, a flood victim from Sta. Ines, Talisayan, her family also lost their food supply.