‘Kristine’ displaces 200,000 in BARMM
DAVAO CITY – Severe tropical storm “Kristine” displaced almost 200,000 individuals in four provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence said while the region was not directly affected, the trough of Kristine brought heavy rains that resulted in flooding in the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Maguindanao del Sur; Cotabato City, and the Special Geographic Area (SGA).
RESIDENTS of flooded low-lying areas in the municipalities of Tugunan and Ligawasan, Special Geographic Area, receive food aid. (Bangsamoro READi)
Bangsamoro READi said that as of Nov. 4, flooding killed one individual in the town of Balabagan and affected 38, 415 families or about 192, 000 individuals in 42 municipalities. Flooding injured 11 persons in Lanao del Sur.
These were the same provinces affected by flooding and landslides caused by severe weather disturbances since July.
Flooding damaged 8,335 hectares of agricultural and affected at least 8,000 farmers in the region.
Bangsamoro READi added that flooding also damaged 109 houses, 26 of which were totally destroyed.
It also noted that validation of damages and affected families in flood-hit areas is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the disaster response agency is bracing for the possible impact of the trough of typhhon “Marce” (international name “Yinxing”).
In a memorandum issued on Monday, Nov. 4, Datu Hamad Abas, chief of the Bangsamoro READi, directed local disaster risk reduction and management councils across the region to conduct pre-disaster risk assessment and closely monitor the tropical cyclone.
Abas activated the Bravo emergency preparedness and response protocol and placed the Bangsamoro DRRM Operations Center on blue alert for Marce.
Several parts of the Bangsamoro region are known flood-prone areas due to their proximity to the Ligawasan Marsh, the river systems of which usually overflow due to heavy rains.
In recent months, thousands of hectares of agricultural lands and residential areas have been submerged in floodwater due to the swelling of river systems in Central Mindanao.