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Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Flashfloods hit N. Cotabato: 5 dead, 10 missing
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO -- Five persons died while 10 others were still missing when flashfloods hit two municipalities in North Cotabato Monday morning.
North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piņol said around 300 families were also left homeless in six affected barangays of Alamada and Libungan towns.
Piņol said the flashfloods started around 6:30 a.m., catching residents by surprise.
Heavy rains swelled rivers in the province, causing the waters to cascade down a mountain and sweep away houses, people and farm animals in two villages, Piņol added.
A bridge also collapsed due to the strong current while 100 individuals were trapped on the roofs of their houses, which were submerged by floodwaters.
The governor said he already sent two rescue helicopters in the area along with relief goods and rescue personnel from the province and the Army.
Piņol blamed a big-time logger from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (Armm) for the flashfloods.
He said were it not for the logging operation of Umbal Alamada, the flashflood would not have happened.
He said he had long been asking this logger to stop his operations in the mountain border of Maguindanao and North Cotabato, but his plea fell into deaf ears.
Piņol said he is contemplating on filing civil action against Alamada to finally stop him from destroying not only the environment but the lives and properties of the people as well.
(June 29, 2004 issue)
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