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At least six die in Northern Mindanao floods
At least six people died after floods spawned by rain from a low pressure area hit Northern Mindanao last Monday, the regional civil defense office said Tuesday.
According to the regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council , the six fatalities were Kian Angelo Moteseno, 10 in Opol, Misamis Oriental; Nilo Quiloman, 56 and James Chan, 3 in Gingoog City; Ai-Ai Balode, 22 in San Fernando, Bukidnon; Reny Boy Cabido, 14 and Vergilio Turno, 77 in Cagayan de Oro.
One person was missing in Iligan City and three people were injured in Cagayan de Oro.
National Disaster Risk Reduction Council executive director Ricardo Jalad said these reports are being verified.
Non-stop rains from Monday afternoon and high tide early Tuesday spawned fears of a repeat of 2011 heavy flooding in the region where at least 1,000 were killed. But floods receded on Tuesday morning even as Cagayan de Oro declared a state of calamity.
Rains are expected to continue over Northern Mindano, portions of Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley and Cotabato and Basilan.
As of 6pm, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the tail-end of cold front is affecting Visayas and eastern section of Mindanao.
Orange warning level was raised by weather forecasters over Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, CARAGA Region and Davao del Norte. These may experience flooding.
Light to moderate to occasional heavy rains are expected to affect portions of Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley, Cotabato, and Basilan where flooding is till possible.
As of 4pm, the regional disaster risk reduction office reported a total of 299 affected families or 1,448 individuals in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Valencia City while 277 families or 1,290 individuals in Iligan City, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon are in evacuation centers.
Jalad said flooding was due to heavy rains compounded by drainage problem and not overflowing of rivers.
"At the height of the flash flood, Iponan and Cagayan Rivers did not overflow. The flooding was due to continued heavy rains compounded by drainage problem," Jalad said.
Jalad said the NDRRMC is not required to step in on the drainage problem.
Cagayan de Oro Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council head Allan Porcadilla said flooding was due to rains coming down from denuded mountains and poor drainage system.
"What happened yesterday is just only an urban flooding. That's why we call it urban flooding, especially that we have a small drainage system. We have a problem with our drainage system, and garbage," Porcadilla said in a radio interview.
"The river is normal. But the rain water came from mountains then flowed down here, that cause the flooding," he added.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development reported that as of 10 am, the regional office is preparing to release family food packs to local government units that have been affected by floods.
The regional social welfare office said 594 family food packs are prepared for Gingoog city, 126 family food packs for Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, 1, 117 family packs for Cagayan de Oro and 320 family food packs for Iligan City.
The agency said P7 million have been set aside as standby funds for Region X. The regional office has 9,000 Family Food Packs , 2,000 Dignity Kits, 307 boxes of Ready to Eat foods and 3,200 sacks of rice ready for augmentation upon request from local government units in Northern Mindanao.
Classes were suspended some student were stranded on some campus and universities. Ella Dionisio/DMS
