2 Misamis Oriental villages hit by storm surge

DUE to continuous heavy rains, two coastal barangays of Misamis Oriental were affected by storm surge on Monday reportedly brought by inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), affecting 16 families.

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC), however, reported no casualties in the incident.

According to the RDRRMC, at least seven houses were destroyed while nine houses were damaged by the storm surge in barangays Poblacion and Sta. Cruz in Magsaysay town.

The municipal social welfare development office of Magsaysay has provided food assistance to the affected families while relief operations are still going on as of Monday.

Meanwhile, the flashflood that hit Camiguin Island last week has damaged the province’s water system estimated at P2 million, affecting intake boxes and pipelines in Mahinog and Bura in Catarman.

Poblacion Sagay, including barangays Mayana and Bonbon, still have no water supply as construction of the pipelines is still ongoing.

However, water supply in Mahinog and Catarman is already back to normal after the damaged portion has been fixed.

Camiguin Representative JJ Romualdo earlier said the flashfloods were due to the continuous rain that is reportedly equivalent to “three to five days of non-stop rain.”

Among the hardest hit by the flashflood are barangays Poblacion in Mahinog, Hubangon, San Roque and Poblacion Catarman.

As of 6 a.m. Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Tropical Storm "Gener" was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 330 kilometers (kms) east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 105 kilometers per hour (kph) near center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

“Gener” is expected to be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday. (Abigail Chee Kee Malalis/With PIA)