KORONADAL CITY – Landslides and mudflows with rocks forced over 40 families from an upland village here to evacuate following a heavy downpour Tuesday night, officials said.
AN excavator clears mudflow debris on Wednesday, November 8, following a flashflood due to heavy rains in Koronadal City on Tuesday night, November 7.
Cyrus Urbano, city disaster risk reduction and management officer, said families vacated their homes at about 9 p.m. when roads leading to the village of Assumption were filled with rocks and mud due to landslides.
“Our evacuees are now temporarily housed at the gymnasium of adjacent Barangay Santa Cruz,” Urbano said in a radio interview Wednesday. "“Clearing operation is ongoing."
The city experienced more than two hours of heavy downpour, although no major weather disturbances were observed, as the State weather bureau reported.
No casualties were reported but the villagers, who are mostly upland farmers, lost valuables.
Urbano said most affected families were from Sitio Ladol. They are now being attended to by the City Health Office and the local social welfare department.
Due to overnight heavy downpour, the neighboring towns of Banga, Norala, Surallah, and Tboli suspended elementary and high school classes.
Meanwhile, four barangays in Iligan City were flooded due to heavy rains on Tuesday, November 7.
Affected barangays were Mahayahay, Tubod, Abuno, and Ubaldo Laya, the Iligan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ICDRRMO) said.
As a result, Mayor Frederick Siao suspended classes on all levels in the affected barangays on Wednesday, November 8, until further notice.
Elementary and high schools shifted to modular classes and online for college starting in Iligan Wednesday due to the inclement weather, also until further notice.
Barangay Mahayahay Captain Joel Labandero said almost all of his 29 “puroks” were flooded. Residents, he said, were caught unaware and were unable to flee.
A resident said her husband carried her to safety as the flood rose and before their house was carried away. She said they failed to secure anything except themselves.
City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO) officer Evelyn Madrio said 80 families were affected in Barangay Ubaldo Laya and evacuated to San Miguel Obach Elementary School; Barangay Tubod, 88 families evacuated to South 1-A Elementary School; and Barangay Mahayahay, 28 families evacuated to the City Central School.
In Barangay Poblacion, 184 families were flooded but none of them were evacuated and one house was totally damaged in Barangay Pugaan.