BUNAWAN, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 21 February) — Around 57,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Caraga region as days of moderate to heavy rains triggered by a shear line caused widespread flooding and landslides.
In its situational report on the effects of the shear line, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Caraga (RDRRMC Caraga) said that as of noon of Saturday, a total of 68 barangays across the region were flooded.
Of the flooded barangays, 31 are in Agusan del Sur, 32 in Surigao del Sur, one in Surigao del Norte, and four in Butuan City.
Eleven barangays also reported landslides — two in Surigao del Sur and nine in Agusan del Sur.
RDRRMC Caraga said that local governments opened 150 evacuation centers for displaced residents.
Of the 16,219 displaced families or 57,213 individuals, 6,607 families or 21,604 individuals are staying inside evacuation centers, while 9,612 families or 35,609 individuals are staying outside, mostly with relatives or in other temporary shelters.
Across the region, 207 barangays were affected, impacting 65,058 families or 257,243 individuals. Damaged houses were also reported, with eight totally damaged and 24 partially damaged.
Imelda Dumagan, a resident of Barangay Poblacion in Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, told MindaNews that floodwaters began rising on Thursday evening, February 19, after days of nonstop rain.
“The rain started Wednesday morning and has continued without stopping. Sometimes it is heavy, sometimes light, but it never really lets up. By Thursday evening, the water had already risen. It has been raining for three days now, and the water has reached waist level, so we decided to evacuate,” Dumagan said.
The first heavy rainfall warning advisory due to the shear line was issued at 5 a.m. on Thursday by the PAGASA weather bureau’s Mindanao Regional Services Division (MinPRSD).
The advisory placed Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte under a yellow rainfall warning, where flooding is possible in low-lying areas and landslides are possible in mountainous areas.
Later that day, at 2 p.m., the highest level of alert, a red rainfall warning , was raised over several areas in Surigao del Sur, including Lianga, San Agustin, Barobo, Hinatuan, Tagbina, Bislig City, and Lingig, and in Agusan del Sur, particularly Rosario, Trento, Bunawan, and Santa Josefa, signaling that serious flooding is expected in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas. Other parts of the Caraga region were placed under yellow and orange warnings.
As of 8 a.m. Saturday, PAGASA-MinPRSD stated that all rainfall warnings over the forecast areas had been terminated. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao / MindaNews)
