6 dead, 4 missing as cold front affects over 150,000

MANILA -- The death toll due to the effects of the tail-end of a cold front in Mindanao has climbed to six while four people remain missing, the state disaster agency reported Tuesday afternoon.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the three new casualties include a one-year-old from Compostela Valley and two residents of Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, identified as certain Herbert Solidum and Danny Nunez.

The three victims died due to drowning.

The NDRRMC earlier identified the three other fatalities as Glenn Custodio, 17, resident of Tagum City who died of electrocution; Boyet Borres and Clyde Selgas, both 19-year-old residents of Misamis Oriental who died of drowning.

Two residents of Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, were reported missing and identified as Renante Finca and Gary Galecia. Also still missing were Ramon Ampong, of Barangay Sumion, Asuncion and John Michael Unson of Misamis Oriental.

The NDRRMC said the tail-end of the cold front is affecting Mindanao, particularly the Davao, Caraga, and Soccsksargen regions.

"This weather system is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains (5 to 15 millimeters per hour) and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," the NDRRMC said.

The agency earlier reported that due to the incessant rains, the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Davao Del Norte, Compostela Valley, North Cotabato, and Davao City experienced flooding caused by the overflowing of rivers.

The tail-end of the cold front has so far affected 40,272 families or 150,521 people in six provinces in the Davao and Soccsksargen regions.

Some 48,661 people are currently inside evacuation centers.

The effects of the tail-end of the cold front has damaged 220 houses and knocked down power supply in the villages of Kapalong Pasbalang and Mankilam in Tagum City, Davao del Norte and in some villages in Braulio E. Dujali in Davao del Norte.

A total of P80,000 cost of damages was incurred from the damaged houses in Davao del Norte.

Due to flooding, the San Jose Bridge in the towns of Caraga and Baganga in Davao Oriental are currently impassable to all types of vehicles.

The NDRRMC said at least 15 areas in Davao City were placed under state of calamity as of Tuesday: Barangays Tigatto, Maa, 19-B, 74-A, 5-A, Mandug, Waan, 8-A, 9, 10, 1-A, 2-A, 76-A, Lasang, and Calinan.

Several schools in the affected provinces earlier declared suspension of classes as some classrooms were flooded.

In Magatos Elementary School in Davao del Norte, the flood water level is almost above the school building, the NDRRMC reported on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education announced on its Twitter account that classes in Cateel, Compostela Valley are suspended until Friday.

"Mayor of Cateel, Davao Oriental, declared state of calamity, classes suspended until Friday," the agency said. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)