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Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Thousands flee homes due to floods, slides
By Ben O. Tesiorna and Bert Pacate
* At least 15,000 people affected by floods and landslides in Davao region
* Carmen town in Davao del Norte hit hardest by disaster
* 2 more landslides hit Diwalwal, injuring 3 people
AT LEAST 15,000 people from 2,513 families were displaced by floods and landslides in Davao region, according to reports from the Office of Civil Defense.
Carmen was hit hardest by the calamity, with 6,200 individuals affected. Over 3,000 individuals were affected in Braulio Dujali.
Davao region is composed of the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and the cities of Davao, Digos, Panabo, Digos and the Island Garden City of Samal.
A landslide hit Barangay Mt. Diwata in Compostela Valley on Friday, killing five-year-old Gracelyn Bustamante and injuring three others. As of Monday afternoon, one person was reported missing, while another was rescued. A total of 339 people from 77 families left their homes for fear of more landslides in the area. Some 24 houses were damaged; four were partly damaged.
Two other landslides occurred Sunday morning, injuring three more. They were identified as Boy Libayao, Gabriela Cuyoco and Mariano Villacorta.
Seven-year old Archie Alcayro, meanwhile, reportedly drowned after Bulbscor river in Diwalwal overflowed Sunday morning, flooding nearby areas. The boy is still missing as of press time.
Eighteen barangays in Monkayo were severely affected by the weeklong downpour that caused floods in 15 of the 18 barangays.
Rising floodwaters made impassable the national highway connecting Compostela Valley and Tagum City on Monday.
Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) 11 reported a landslide hit Buda national highway on Monday, however, the road is still passable.
In Surigao del Sur, the towns of Tandag, Tago, Cortes and San Miguel have been "virtually transformed into an island, with the Pacific Ocean, the collapsed mountains and the flooded areas encircling them," said Bert Pacate, former columnist of Sun.Star Davao.
Boulders and mud reportedly covered the highway in Diatagon, Liangga, some 80 kilometers from Tandag, and was passable only by motorcycle as of Monday noon.
A Tandag-bound unit of the Bachelor Bus Company fell into a flooded deep ditch on the side of the highway while negotiating the flooded highway Sunday.
Fortunately, only a few passengers were injured in the incident.
Thousands of commuters and students going home for the holiday season had to walk several kilometers of roads hit by landslides or ride on pumpboats and outriggers along flooded national highways to reach their destinations.
About 80 pumpboats and outriggers suddenly mushroomed on flooded roads, fetching stranded passengers for a fee of P25 each for the 800-meter trip.
A wooden bridge collapsed in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Carmen town and a landslide occurred in Sitio Igang, Burgos, Cortes town, damaging roads and paralyzing traffic on the northern part of Surigao del Sur.
Because of impassable roads, buses and other motor vehicles were on standstill for three days in the northern and southern approaches of Tandag.
No one was reported hurt, but sources said "quite a few" could have died in the worst flood that hit the province.
Rivers monitored
Meanwhile, three major rivers in Davao region are now being monitored as torrential rains continue to pour.
Chief Supt. Isidro Lapeņa, Police Regional Office 11 director, said rivers of Liboganan and Tuganay in Davao del Norte are under close monitoring. Authorities would be monitoring water levels.
Lapeņa said the rivers in Davao del Norte are their major concern as these could affect thousands of lives once waters overflow to the farmlands.
There has yet been no emergency evacuation of residents residing near Liboganan and Tuganay rivers, although personnel of several disaster coordinating councils are in standby, Lapeņa said.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday advised residents along riverbanks to relocate to safer places until the weather improves.
Mining operations still on
Meanwhile, despite the latest disaster that hit the gold rush area in Compostela Valley, mining activities have continued. But village officials assured they are monitoring rivers and slopes within the barangay on a 24-hour basis.
They have also instituted measures to prevent cave-ins and other disasters.
State of calamity to be issued
Gov. Vicente Pimentel, Jr. is set to issue a state of calamity in the province after the Provincial Board approves on Tuesday's regular session.
The Davao City Disaster Coordinating Council (DCDCC) is also prepared against further disaster, Operation Chief Prime Cruz said.
"We are already coordinating with the different barangays. Meron na silang kanya-kanyang rescue teams din. Binabantayan namin ngayon ang portions sa may Bucana and other areas prone sa baha," Cruz said.
He aid DCDCC has also informed the City Social Services and Development Office, City Health Office and other agencies to be ready if calamity arises.
(December 23, 2003 issue)
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