DAVAO CITY – The province of Maguindanao del Sur has sustained P121 million in damage to agriculture from the

massive flooding that has destroyed over 6,000 hectares of agricultural land, the Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Bangsamoro READi) said.

In a report released over the weekend, Bangsamoro READi also said that the massive flooding has affected at least 4,000 farmers.

The massive flooding has affected over 323,000 individuals and was spawned by the combined effects of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and low-pressure area (LPA).

Many low-lying areas of Maguindanao del Sur were submerged in floodwater since May 14.

Bangsamoro READi said flooding has affected the towns of Ampatuan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Rajah Buayan, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Sultan sa Barongis, and Talayan.

Also affected was the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Norte, Lamitan City in Basilan, and Kapalawan town in the Special Geographic Area (SGA).

Ampatuan, Datu Piang, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, and Mamasapano have declared a state of calamity due to severe impact of the flooding.

These towns sit on the periphery of the 200,000-hectare Ligawasn Marsh that serves as the catch basin of the Mindanao river system.

Local government officials and concerned agencies have acknowledged that the recurring flood is due to heavy deposit of silt in the Ligawasan Marsh area and all river systems connected into the catch basin.

Bangsamoro READi and the Ministry of Social Services and Development have distributed relief aid and hygiene kits to affected communities.

Meanwhile, some residents of Barangay Taviran in Datu Odin Sinsuat are wary of the impact of the massive volume of water hyacinths that clogged the waterways since May 22.

According to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the water hyacinths carried by the Taviran River have damaged about 50 houses on the river bank.

The water hyacinths from marshy areas were stuck underneath the bridge in Taviran that connects the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Kabuntalan in Maguindanao del Norte.

The local government has mobilized volunteers to remove the water hyacinths to prevent damage to nearby structures.