MISAMIS Oriental is now also under a state of calamity following extensive damage to infrastructure and agriculture caused by incessant rains this past week.
Board Member Gerardo Sabal shepherded the declaration during a special session of the Provincial Council Thursday night, January 19.
"Nakita nato nga panahon na ug angayan nga ideklara ang state of calamity sa damyos (We found out through the damage that we need to declare a state of calamity)," Sabal said.
Sabal said damage in infrastructure in the province is estimated at P135 million which covers destruction of several bridges and provincial roads.
Damages in agricultural products and facilities reached to nearly P14 million as of Thursday.
Sabal said the devastation on crops reached to more than P11 million, livestock (P1,002,600), fishponds (P250,000), irrigation facilities (P1,060,000), and fishing facilities (P386,000).
"Ang sa infra dako ang damages sa mga provincial roads tungod sa kakusog sa tubig ga bisan aha na lang gikan (For infra, the big damage was on provincial roads due to the strong surge of water that came from everywhere)," Sabal said.
The torrential rains brought by the tail end of a cold front and low pressure area also forced over 11,000 individuals to leave their homes and temporarily stay at the evacuation centers.
Sabal also said the heavy downpour washed out 14 houses and left four people dead and two others missing.
"Mas affected ang 1st District kay Gingoog City lang daan sobra 1,800 families ang affected (First District is more affected since Gingoog City alone has more than 1,800 families that were affected)," Sabal said.
Sabal said Governor Yevgeny Emano is prioritizing the giving of food packs. medicines and other needed assistance to the 4,398 affected families.
Emano also instructed the start of rehabilitation works on the damaged provincial roads and bridges.
"Plastar na ang heavy equipments unahon tong tulay and dalan nga naguba sa pagbaha (The heavy equipments are ready, the first thing to repair are those bridges and roads affected by flooding)," Sabal said.