AT LEAST eight people remain missing in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, following widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides on Friday, July 10, 2026, triggered by the southwest monsoon (Habagat), enhanced by Tropical Cyclone Inday.
The Davao Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the eight individuals were reported missing while one survivor was rescued and immediately brought to Tomas Lachica District Hospital for treatment.
Jose Abad Santos Mayor Jason John Joyce immediately advised residents living in landslide-prone and flood-prone communities to evacuate and heed the instructions of local authorities as continuous heavy rains continued to batter the municipality.
The following day, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (MDRRMOs) of Jose Abad Santos and Don Marcelino, in coordination with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), immediately conducted a Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) to determine the extent of damage caused by days of relentless rainfall.
Assessment teams were deployed to the affected barangays of Malalan, Tanuman, Kalbay, Butuan, and Sugal, where flooding and landslides inundated homes, disrupted transportation, and affected residents in vulnerable communities. Authorities said the RDNA will serve as the basis for planning emergency response, relief distribution, rehabilitation, and long-term recovery interventions to ensure assistance reaches the hardest-hit families.
The severe weather also disrupted transportation after floodwaters carried logs, rocks, and other debris onto the Tanuman Big Bridge, forcing authorities to temporarily close the structure to all types of vehicles.
In a travel advisory, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) urged motorists to avoid the area, exercise caution, and continue monitoring official advisories until conditions improve.
Meanwhile, the DPWH-Davao, through its Equipment Management Division and the Davao Occidental District Engineering Office, continued clearing operations in the landslide-affected barangays of Nuing, Kitayo, and Balangonan in Jose Abad Santos.
Heavy equipment was deployed to remove mud, rocks, fallen trees, and other debris that blocked sections of the road network after continuous rains and the effects of recent earthquakes destabilized mountain slopes.
The DPWH later announced that the affected roads had been reopened and were already passable to all types of vehicles. However, motorists were reminded to remain vigilant when passing through the area due to the continuing threat of additional landslides and slope failures amid persistent rainfall.
Authorities said the clearing operations are part of ongoing efforts to immediately restore road connectivity, ensure the safety of travelers, and facilitate the delivery of relief assistance to affected communities.
Disaster officials continue to monitor the situation as the southwest monsoon, enhanced by Tropical Cyclone Inday, brings intermittent heavy rains across Mindanao, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides, particularly in areas where slopes were weakened by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the region last month. DEF
