THOUSANDS of families were affected and hundreds were displaced after a series of heavy rains hit the Davao Region the past days due to the tail-end of a cold front.
According to Civil Defense Office (OCD) Regional Director Leoncio Cirunay Jr., as per OCD memorandum from Panabo City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, some areas of the city reached waist-deep flood level Thursday morning, January 19.
The residents near Lasang River temporarily stayed at J.P Laurel Elementary School as a preemptive measure due to the erosion and over-flowing risk.
Based on the OCD advisory, as of 5 p.m. Thursday, the summary of affected population who stayed in their houses surged to 2,883 families in Kapalong, Davao del Norte, while a total of 205 families were internally displaced with 903 individuals securing themselves in different evacuation areas.
OCD reiterated the continuation of blue alert status of disaster operations center and activated all local Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, and other member agencies to prepare their assets and resources for possible deployment in affected areas.
Other affected municipalities are Monkayo, Nabunturan, Maragusan, Mawab, Montevista and New Bataan that eventually issued class suspension to all elementary schools.
They advised residents in low-lying areas and near river channels to take precautionary measures and alerted them against possible flashfloods and landslides.