MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/24 January) — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Davao Oriental on Tuesday made a declaration placing the province under a state of calamity due to massive flooding in several towns, according to provincial information officer Karen Deloso.
Cateel and Boston towns had earlier made state of calamity declarations due to damage caused by the floods.
Deloso said Baganga town was also planning to declare a state of calamity.
Flood waters cover most of Kapalong town in Davao del Norte in this photo taken on January 24, 2017. Photo courtesy of Davao del Norte Provincial Information Office
Boston, Cateel and Baganga lie on the province’s eastern coast. The same towns were badly hit by typhoon Pablo (Bopha) in December 2012.
In Lupon, Davao Oriental the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said a landslide occurred along the Mati-Maragusan Road, particularly in Purok Curvada, Sitio Banhawan, Brgy. Marayag.
The road had become impassable by light vehicles as of Tuesday morning, municipal information officer Roy Paran said.
Army soldiers from the 60th Infantry Battalion and civilians carry an elderly man away from a flooded area in Kapalong, Davao del Norte on January 24, 2017. Photo courtesy of the 60th IB
In Asuncion, Davao del Norte flood waters have reached the public market, terminal and five puroks (sub-villages) in the poblacion, but the national highway traversing the town remained passable, municipal information officer Manuel Puyong said.
Since last week, rains have caused flooding in many parts of Mindanao. Aside from the Davao provinces, badly hit were Northern Mindanao particularly the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Valencia (Bukidnon), Caraga Region, and parts of Maguindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula. (MindaNews)
