DAVAO Region has reported 12 casualties - 10 in Monkayo, Davao de Oro, and two in Davao City, due to the ongoing shear line surge and localized thunderstorms, leading to widespread flooding in eastern sections of Mindanao.
In Monkayo, the tragedy occurred during a prayer meeting at Purok 20, Pag-asa, Barangay Mt. Diwata.
Dead bodies recovered were now identified as Catherine Gumatin (27 years old); Hannah Gumatin (nine); Dysna Gumatin (three); Arjay Gumatin (one); Cristelle Gumatin (10); Ailee Gumatin (8); Marjomie Nenaria (33); Ritchell Reboldad (35); Agnes Bitoon (44); and Elvera Saldua (35).
In a Facebook post by the Municipality of Monkayo, Reboldad's body was recovered around 11:30 pm on January 19, 2024, while Bitoon's body was found by 12:23 a.m., and Saldua's body was located around 1:30 pm.
Rommel Gumatin, 45, is still missing and one-year-old Amara Kate Delola was rushed to Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC).
Currently, the wake for all the casualties is being held at the Assembly of God Church in Barangay Union, with support from the Monkayo LGU led by Davao de Oro Congresswoman Maricar S. Zamora and Mayor Manuel “Way Kurat” E. Zamora. Financial assistance has already been extended to the families of the victims by the office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Nagtinabangay [na] ang pipila ka mga empleyado sa lokal nga panggamhanan sa pagplastar sa nahimutangan sa mga biktimang namatay sa landslide sa Brgy. Mt. Diwata” (Local government employees have collaborated to finalize the location for the victims who died in the landslide),” the Local Government Unit of Monkayo statement said.
The Monkayo LGU and disaster agencies, led by the Monkayo Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), initiated a search, rescue, and retrieval operation that was briefly halted due to heavy rains.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Pablito G. Odias, deputy provincial director for administration of Davao de Oro Police Provincial Office (DOPPO), confirmed to SunStar Davao the resumption of operations on January 20.
“Nagpadayon na ang operation karong adlawa [January 20] kay wala sila nagpadayon kagahapon [January 19] gumikan sa kusog nga ulan nga nasinatian sa lugar (The operation resumed today [January 20] as it was halted yesterday [January 19] due to heavy rains in the area)," Odias said.
In Davao City, two individuals were buried alive in separate incidents.
The first occurred in Purok 5, Km. 8, Barangay Tigatto, Buhangin District, during a birthday event. The incident happened on Wednesday evening, January 17.
The second incident involved a seven-year-old child buried in a landslide at Sitio Kalachuchi, Barangay Salaysay, Marilog District.
As of the latest update, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-Davao) raised the alert status of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to Blue Alert to closely monitor the region's situation. This information is based on Memorandum No. 009, series of 2024, released on January 20.
On the other hand, Police Major Nelson Violan, station commander of Marilog Police Station (PS12), confirmed in a radio interview on Friday morning, January 20, that they successfully recovered the body of the seven-year-old child buried in the Marilog landslide.
Meanwhile, the victim's parents, who survived the incident, were promptly rushed to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for medical attention.
The state weather bureau, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), forecasted continued adverse weather conditions in most regions of Mindanao, particularly in the eastern sections, due to the dominance of the shear line in the coming days. DEF/RGP
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