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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Freak tornadoes hit Davao City, South Cotabato
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Freak tornadoes hit nine barangays in Calinan, Davao City and four barangays in South Cotabato last Palm Sunday and Holy Monday, forcing residents to move to safer grounds.
On Monday afternoon, floodwaters suddenly rushed to nine barangays in Calinan, catching residents along the riverbanks by surprise.
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Some residents were trapped inside their homes as muddy brown floodwaters gushed from the overflowed river. The raging floodwaters submerged rice fields and schools and swept away animals as well as crops.
Residents believe that the floodwaters were dumped by a tornado or buhawi. These buhawi (tornadoes) have been affecting Calinan especially during periods of incessant rains.
Authorities meanwhile closed down Feria Bridge for fear that it would collapse due to the raging waters. It was not known, as of Tuesday, if the bridge was already opened to commuters.
About 88 families are reportedly being housed at the Calinan Gym. Twenty houses were destroyed by the floodwaters, while several more were damaged.
A strong tornado also struck four farming villages in Tupi, South Cotabato around 3 p.m. Sunday.
About 71 families with 426 dependents were displaced, with two people injured by falling trees that hit them.
The tornado damaged 69 houses and destroyed two houses in barangays Palian, Crossing Rubber, Lunen and Bolol Mala.
Apart from the houses, agricultural crops such as corn, rice, banana, pineapple, and coconuts were uprooted by the tornado when it struck the barangays.
Several electrical and telephone posts were also damaged.
Tupi Social Welfare and Development Office initially pegged damage to property and crops at more than P2 million, excluding the destroyed electrical and telephone posts. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (March 19, 2008 issue)
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