We issued alert level 3 or Code Re to the different barangay. This means forced evacuation. It’s the barangay officials’ job to see to it that their residents are warned about the situation but we heard that several families did not leave their homes,” said Cathedral.
Cathedral pointed out that on Saturday morning the floodwaters swept away one of the floating houses from the town of San Luis in Agusan del Sur.
“We have prepared our barangay networks in case they would need our help in the emergency rescue mission. Our rescuers from the Butuan Seach and Rescue Team (Busart) have been monitoring in case an emergency rescue is needed,” he said.
Cathedral added that even as the flood affected 6,100 families or 33,000 persons in 34 barangays, forced evacuation was done in only 14 barangays. .
“We did not evacuate from our flooded homes because we have been used to the floods. The highest we had was Friday evening when it reached our waist. But we are starting to get worried since we noticed that the water has continued to rise,” said Agapito Balbin, a farmer in Purok 18, Barangay Mahay.
Balbin and his neighbors worry over the rice crops they lost worth about six thousand pesos.
“We have a neighbor who lost almost thirty P30,000 worth. I’m not sure if after the floodwaters recede we will be able to plant again since we have already lost so much,” said Balbin.[]
Sigundina Jasmin, a mother of four from Purok 1, Barangay Mahay; shouted for food from across the flooded ricefields while paddling a dugout canoe.
“We are running out of food to eat, they said we won’t receive any aid if we won’t transfer to the evacuation center.[]
