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Friday, November 21, 2008
Floods displace 300 families
DAVAO CITY -- At least 300 families in Malita town, Davao del Sur have fled their homes Thursday as heavy rains continue to pour, triggering floods in four of the town's barangays.
In a television interview, Malita Mayor Benjamin Bautista Jr. said the hardest hit barangays are Pangaleon, Sanghay, Demoloc, and Poblacion.
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With waist-high waters and even reaching up to the neck in some areas, residents of four barangays have been fleeing to higher grounds since Wednesday.
The mayor said the incessant rainfall since Wednesday afternoon has caused the Kaluman River in Malita town to swell.
As of this posting Thursday, 20 houses near the Kaluman River were reportedly swept away by rampaging waters, which subsided only by 5 p.m.
In a phone interview with Claudine Bautista, former Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chair of the municipality, she said an undetermined number of evacuees are still being accounted for as the areas affected are relatively heavily populated.
"The area directly affected by the swelling of the river, umabot hanggang neck ang tubig, but in other areas, it was waist-deep," Bautista told Sun.Star.
The river runs parallel to the municipal public market of Malita.
The local government unit (LGU), headed by Mayor Bautista, immediately extended relief assistance to evacuees temporarily staying at the local gymnasium.
Noel Hubac, municipal social welfare officer, said they have yet to determine the number of residents affected by floods.
In Compostela Valley, at least nine people were rescued Thursday from a landslide that hit the gold-rush area in Mt. Diwata, Monkayo.
Compostela Valley police director Ronald dela Rosa said a house belonging to the Elimino family was destroyed after the landslide hit Purok 17 in Mt. Diwata.
The nine victims were immediately rescued by policemen who rushed to the area upon receiving the report.
First to be rescued were James Tumala, 16; Grace Sorilla, 25; JC Atun, 22; and Junjun Ayco, 21.
Four hours later, the police also recovered Michael Cañete, house owner Felix Elimino, Samuel Catzo, Ariel Daghay and Rex Gomez.
All victims were rushed to a nearby health center.
Authorities said the landslide in Mindanao areas could have been caused by continuous rains. (CPM/PNA/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (November 21, 2008 issue)
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