GENERAL SANTOS CITY ( MindaNews / 9 November ) — Strong winds and heavy rains from the outer bands of super typhoon ‘Uwan’ (international name: Fung-Wong) lashed parts of Sultan Kudarat, a coastal province in southwestern Mindanao, on Sunday, toppling trees and power poles that cut electricity in several barangays, the local power cooperative reported.
In succeeding Facebook posts on Sunday morning, the Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative (SUKELCO) Lebak–Kalamansig Area Office reported incidents of felled trees and damaged power lines in its coverage area.
Photos posted by the cooperative showed the massive trunk of a palm tree resting across the corrugated metal roof of a single-story home, the impact causing the roof to collapse inward.
“Bunsod ng malakas na hangin at pag-ulan, nadaganan ng nabuwal na puno ng niyog ang isang bahay sa Brgy. Kinudalan, Lebak, SK kaninang umaga. Nadamay din ang linya ng kuryente,” (Due to the strong winds and rain, an uprooted coconut tree fell on a house in Barangay Kinudalan, Lebak, this morning. Power lines were also damaged), SUKELCO wrote, adding that no one was injured.
In a separate post, SUKELCO shared images showing a toppled electric pole in Sitio Busawon, Barangay Pag-asa, Kalamansig, after it was struck by a fallen mango tree.
Resident Gilbert Cespon said they had just finished their church service when they heard a loud noise outside.
“Tama-tama pud nga nahuman na mi ug pagdulogan diri sa among simbahan – mga five to ten minutes. Wala na mi tanan diri. Among gate abri pa na siya – wala pa masira, mao tong na-damage,” (It was right after our church service, maybe five to ten minutes later. We had all already gone home. The gate was still open – it wasn’t closed yet – that’s why it was damaged), Cespon recounted.
The incident cut off electricity in five barangays in Kalamansig and 12 in neighboring Palimbang, the cooperative said.
Citing the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Disaster Response and Management Division in Region 12 (DRMD XII) said no Public Storm Warning Signal(PSWS) was raised over Sultan Kudarat or anywhere in the Soccsksargen region.
However, the office warned that occasional rains, thunderstorms, and lightning could still occur due to the typhoon’s outer rainbands and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
It reminded residents to “be prepared for possible flooding in low-lying areas and landslides in upland communities, especially if rains persist.”
In its 5 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin on Sunday, PAGASA said Typhoon ‘Uwan’ would bring “occasionally gusty conditions reaching strong to gale-force strength” over coastal and upland areas exposed to winds.
As of Sunday evening, SUKELCO said restoration work remained ongoing in affected areas. ( Guia A. Rebollido / MindaNews )
