SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 18 December) — Flash floods triggered by tropical storm “Kabayan” inundated several areas in Agusan del Sur province Monday, prompting the evacuation of residents residing in flood-prone and low-lying areas.

Preliminary reports obtained from various Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices highlighted persistent heavy rains and strong winds, some lasting for eight hours, which resulted in flash floods in the towns of San Francisco, Prosperidad, and Talacogon.

Rescue operations, led by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) in Prosperidad, successfully evacuated affected residents in Purok 3, Barangay Patin-ay to the barangay gymnasium.

Barangay Captain Nexi Roldan said the Search and Rescue Agusan del Sur (SARAS) team helped in the rescue efforts.

In San Francisco, the MDRRMO and the San Francisco Emergency Responders (SAFER) rescued residents in low-lying areas of Barangay 3, while many others in Barangay 4 and Barangay 1 sought refuge at the barangay evacuation centers.

Widespread flooding paralyzed the town center, rendering many municipal streets impassable for motor vehicles due to waist-deep floodwaters.

The flooding here receded late afternoon Monday. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)