SURIGAO NORTH ON STATE OF CALAMITY / AGUSAN RIVER SWELLS; CARAGA ISOLATED
[Photo -Only the roofs of houses are left visible in the riverside village of Buhangin in Butuan City. BEN SERRANO]
BUTUAN CITY, FEBRUARY 4, 2011 (STAR) By Ben Serrano – Surigao del Norte, where floods and landslides have affected 235 barangays displacing at least 20,137 families, is now under a state of calamity.
The provincial board, presided over by Vice Gov. Carlos Egay Jr., made the declaration upon the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chaired by Gov. Sol Folcadilla Matugas.
A farmer, Amado Basadre, 37, was reported missing as he was swept by strong current while crossing a river in San Francisco town.
Close to 2,000 families in Northern Mindanao and the Caraga region have been evacuated due to a low pressure area that is expected to bring heavy rains and floods, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.
In a report, NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said a total of 1,761 families or 8,567 people have been brought to 23 evacuation centers in the two regions.
He said 47,725 families or 239,395 people were affected in 347 barangays in Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao, and Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands in the Caraga region.
The NDRRMC said a certain Reyam Bahan, 7, of Barangay Dona, Tubay, Agusan del Norte, got drowned in the flood.
In Masbate, four villagers were reported missing, namely Reynaldo Jipa, 40; Jesus Gaupo, 15; Junjun Gaupo, 21; and Ariel Niez, 19.
The NDRRMC said the Caraga region has been experiencing heavy rains since Jan. 31. Flooding was reported in Sitio Kasilak, Barangay Tala-ao and Barangay 7 in Buenavista and Barangays Panaytayon and Basilisa in Remedios T. Romualdez town in Agusan del Norte.
Ramos said Malimono town in Surigao del Norte has been isolated due to a swollen river and a damaged bridge.
He said forced evacuation was implemented in low-lying and landslide-prone areas in the Caraga region.
Rescue operations have been conducted in the villages of Mahogany, Mahay, Banza, and Buhangin in Butuan City. – With Alexis Romero, Edith Regalado
AGUSAN RIVER SWELLS; CARAGA TOWNS ISOLATED
(BULLETIN) By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO – The continuous heavy flooding brought about by low pressure in all provinces and cities in the Caraga region since Sunday night has caused the overflowing of the Agusan River, inundating and isolating several towns while several areas are currently isolated because of destroyed bridges and roads and shortage of power and water supply.
Authorities also said floods and slide victims have swelled to 56,135 families or 281,638 persons from the 386 barangays from various parts in the region while three persons were reported killed and two others missing as of press time.
The region's capital city alone has been declared for the second time under a state of calamity since early this year, with at least 9,243 families or about 60,979 persons as of Wednesday's posting by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) severely affected by floods as more than 80 barangays in the city, especially the city proper are already flooded as the swelling Agusan River has affected all streets and major thoroughfares, causing business establishments to close shop, classes suspended in all levels, and the stoppage of works, both in government and private.
The water level of the giant Agusan River in Butuan City has increased to 3.6 meters high and flood water in the city proper is already knee-deep.
Rescue teams of CDRRMC are already using pump boats and speed boats in rescuing flood victims at Barangays Mahogany, Mahay, Banza, Buhangin and nearby barangays along the riverbanks of Butuan City.
As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, the Butuan CDRRMC team retrieved the body of Gaudencio Donayon, 75 at neck-level flood waters in Purok 3, Barangay Buhangin this city.
Another body, that of Gaudencio Amoro, 50 of Sibagat town, Agusan del Sur, was also found on Rosales Avenue here, on Wednesday morning.
Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. Wednesday asked President Benigno S. Aquino III for relief assistance to thousands of flood victims in the city since Sunday night. The City Chief Executive also asked the socio-civic organizations to help extend assistance to flood victims now sheltered at various evacuation centers in the city.
The largest number of floods and slides victims is reported in the Pacific Ocean-facing province of Surigao del Norte and Surigao City where to date the RDRRMC and PDRRMC reported 20,000 families or about 103, 121 persons were already affected.
The PDRRMC of Agusan del Norte also reported 8,813 families or 42,526 persons were affected by floods and slides while Agusan del Sur PDRRMC also reported 4,122 families or 24,688 persons affected since Sunday flooding. The Surigao del Sur and Bislig City DRRMC also reported 528 families or about 2,655 persons were also severely affected. (With a report from Nonoy E. Lacson)
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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