DAVAO CITY — Five villages of Pigcawayan town in North Cotabato were hit by flash floods on Sunday at around 4 o’clock in the afternoon resulting in evacuation and damage in crops and some farm animals carried by the strong water current.
The incident was posted in a Facebook Page Ang Pigcawayan Subong which revealed that nine (9) families from the village of Balogo, and six (6) families from Upper Baguer were rescued and brought to the evacuation center for temporary shelter by the municipal disaster office, as floodwaters reached their houses. They were immediately provided with foodstuff.
The five barangays severely affected by the flash floods as reported by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in its progress report Monday afternoon identified the barangays as Balogo, Capayuran, Upper Baguer, Presbitero and New Panay but there are still villages who have yet to submit a report.
Mark John Montales, Barangay Captain of Bulucaon in an interview with Newsline said the flash floods damaged thirty (30) hectares of ricefield owned by 20 farmers.
He revealed that trash, driftwoods and newly uprooted trees clogged the waterways and the river swell.
Montales said he already submitted his report to the disaster office.
The incident was posted in a Facebook Page Ang Pigcawayan Subong on Monday with photos showing town Mayor Jean Dino doing the Rapid Damage Assessment and Need Analysis in the five affected villages together with Municipal Engineer Elmer L. Aclaracion, Acting MDRRMO Mark Anthony Legado, Social Welfare Officer Mariam Joy M. Quilban, Municipal Agriculturist Luisa A. Bueno and Municipal Health Officer Dr. Hilario E. Tenorio.
The clearing operations are still ongoing and the municipal government has distributed relief goods to the affected residents.-Editha Z. Caduaya
