AN ELDERLY person died while more than a thousand families have evacuated after widespread flooding,brought about by incessant rains in recent days, hit during the weekend the town of Kumalarang in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.
The Kumalarang Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) said that 1,222 families were forced to evacuate as nine of the town’s 18 villages were inundatedby floodwaters.
The MDRRMO said that a 66-year-old grandfather drowned after he was swept away by the raging floodwaters. Several houses, livestock and other properties were also destroyed.
Kumalarang Mayor Ruel Molina said Monday, May 19, that the municipal government has provided assistance to the affected families like food, medical, and temporary shelters.
Molina lamented that the current administration of Zamboanga del Sur provincial government did not support them in terms of disaster preparedness projects since they are not political allies.
“We have been requesting the necessary flood control projects for a long time, but they have not been given attention,” Molina said.
He asked the help of Malacañang saying that Kumalarang is a flood and landslide-prone municipality. The town has 18 villages with a population of 29,479 as of the 2020 census.
The Sangguniang Bayan, in an emergency session on Sunday, May 18, recommended through a resolution to declare Kumalarang under the state of calamity to expedite the release of funds for relief operations and rehabilitation.
Molina said the MDRRMO personnel and other concerned offices have been place on alert to ensure the safety of every family in the town. (SunStar Zamboanga)