GENERAL Santos City––Three people have died while around 800 people were displaced as flash floods and landslides hit parts of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat yesterday. Reports from local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) offices said the floods and landslides took place following continuous heavy and moderate rains that started on Tuesday evening.
In South Cotabato, severe floodings were reported in Banga, Norala, Tantangan, Tupi and Koronadal City due to the swelling of rivers and tributaries. Landslides were also reported in Barangays Bunao and Lunen in Tupi after a portion of a mountain collapsed at the height of heavy rains early Wednesday. Ira Aguinaldo, a staff member of the Tupi Municipal DRRM Office, said three fatalities were reported in the landslide that hit Akmaon in Barangay Bunao. Two of the dead were identified as couple Nonoy and Monita Ga, both 74 years old. Aguinaldo said flashfloods were also recorded in three other barangays but no immediate evacuations and casualties were reported.
In Banga town, the MDRRMO reported that some 280 families composed of 600 individuals have evacuated due to the flashfloods that affected eight barangays. An initial 117 hectares of palay farms were damaged as a result of the floods in barangays Yangco, Malaya, Cabuling, Reyes Punong Grande, Rizal, Rang-ay and Cinco. Arman Palomar, Yangco barangay chairman, said 280 families were forced to leave their homes as early as 2 am after huge volumes of floodwaters from nearby Banga River swept their area. He said some 75 houses sustained various damages due to the floods that reached about four feet.
The floodwaters swelled toward three riverside communities following the collapse of a spur dike along the Banga River, he said. In Koronadal, city administrator Cyrus Urbano said three major bridges were damaged due to a series of flash floods along the Marbel River. He said a bridge in Barangay Namnama was “cut into half” while another in Barangay Sto. Nino cracked. The approach of the main bridge connecting the city and Barangay Concepcion was also damaged, he said.
Urbano said Mayor Peter Miguel suspended classes in all levels at around 6 am as precaution. Meantime, in Sultan Kudarat, around 200 individuals have also evacuated in Barangay Rajah Muda in Tacurong City due to flashfloods along a major river. Allan Freno, Tacurong City information officer, said residents of three puroks were forced to leave their homes due to the swelling of a river tributary traversing the village early Wednesday.“The floodwaters reportedly rose to about five feet in communities situated near the river,” he told DxMC-Bombo Radyo. Classes in three schools––Rajah Muda Elementary School, Rajah Muda National High School and Lourdes Pama Elementary School––were suspended as a result of the floods. -mindanews
