Southern Philippine city submerged in flood
January 21, 2013 at 08:03am
Torrential rains inundated many villages in Davao City as Bankerohan River overflowed and submerged houses along river banks displacing hundreds of residents. Rescue operations were still going on Sunday night, after more than 24 hours of non-stop rain.
Davao City mayor Sara Duterte has suspended classes in the elementary and high school level as clean-up operations are still ongoing.
The city’s social welfare office said more than 5,000 families or 28,525 individuals were forced to move to higher grounds as waist-deep flood waters inundated much of the 12 villages along Bankerohan River.
Rescuers used rubber boats and jet skis extricating stranded residents from their homes Saturday evening as Bankerohan River swelled and overflowed to the river banks.
Some low-lying interior subdivisions were also submerged in flood water, almost covering the rooftops of houses in Jade Valley Subdivision in Tigatto, Buhangin village.
Major Jake Obligado, chief of the Civil Military Operations of the 10th Infantry Division, said operations to rescue residents still trapped inside their homes went well into the afternoon of Sunday.
He said Army said rescuers saved 499 families with 1,792 members from Jade Valley, 120 families with 400 members in Sangilangan, Maa, 70 families with 200 members in Lower Madapo, Bankerohan, 336 families with 1,700 members in El Rio Vista in Bacaca, 350 families with 1,600 members in Matina Grabahan in Matina, 84 families with 240 members in Calle Plaque of teachers village in Calinan, and 161 families with 450 members in San Rafael, Maa, for a total of 1,620 families made up of 6,981 members.
City social workers have begun distributing relief goods and foodstuff to displaced residents.
Mayor Duterte said she will ask the City Council to convene today and declare a state of calamity in the city to expedite the release of calamity funds.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has advised families to remain in evacuation centers as water levels may still increase due continuing threat of rains caused by the tail-end of a cold front.
Davao City, one of the fastest growing cities in the Philippines has recently become flood-prone.
But weekend’s flooding was one of the worst in the city in recent years.
Source: asiancorrespondent.com
« 25000 flee from floods in Davao City State of Emergency declared in DavNor »
