ROAD BLOCK A landslide renders this road at the village of LS Sarmiento in Laak town, Compostela Valley, impassable to vehicles. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
DAVAO CITY — Two people have died and another was missing as flooding and landslides hit a large part of southern Mindanao due to continuing rains brought by a cold front over the region starting on Saturday, disaster and local officials on Sunday said.
Randy Loy, provincial disaster action officer of Compostela Valley, identified the casualties as Dennis Pesadilla and Rommel Gogo who died in a landslide in the towns of Compostela and Montevista as moderate to heavy rains pounded the province since Saturday morning.
Pesadilla was killed in a landslide at the mining village of Ngan in Compostela past 4 p.m. while Gogo was killed when a portion of a hill collapsed at the village of Tapia also in Montevista town.
12-year-old Krisel Hermosura remained missing after she was swept away by waters from the Handurumog River which overflowed its banks in Nabunturan town past noon on Saturday.
Failed rescue
Her grandmother was hurt while trying to rescue Krisel, according to Loy.
By 2 a.m. on Sunday, at least 907 families from six of the province’s 11 towns have fled to safer grounds.
They came from Monkayo, Laak, Compostela, Montevista, New Bataan and Maco towns.
Landslides toppled electric posts in parts of Monkayo, rendering the town without power until Sunday, the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative said.
Landslides also blocked portions of the Pan-Philippine Highway, particularly in Tapia, Montevista.
The highway has since been cleared of debris and became passable to all vehicles by 6 a.m. on Sunday.
In Davao del Norte, a man was pulled alive by rescuers following a landslide in Monte Dujali, San Isidro town, the Davao del Norte provincial disaster risk reduction and management office said on Sunday.
The unidentified man was treated for injuries at the Kapalong District Hospital.
Evacuation
On Sunday, at least 23,636 families were displaced by the flooding in Davao del Norte, according to disaster monitoring officials.
There were also reports of infrastructure damage. Two bridges collapsed in the villages of Limbaan and Mambing in New Corella town.
In Davao Oriental, soldiers and rescue workers helped evacuate at least 112 families at six villages near the Aragon Dam in Cateel town which was threatened by flooding, according to Karen Deloso, provincial information officer.
Deloso said the provincial government had prepared some 1,000 food packs and other goods for evacuees.
More rains
In Davao City, at least 1,050 residents of the villages of Lasang and Bunawan have been moved to safer grounds, said Leslie Francisco, Office of Civil Defense southern Mindanao spokesperson.
The bad weather was expected to prevail until Monday.
State meteorologists and disaster officials warned of moderate to heavy rainfall lasting for several days. —Reports from Frinston Lim and Mart Sambalud