Execs say Maguindanao floods cost P331M in crops, structures

COTABATO CITY—The weeklong rains that flooded parts of Maguindanao have destroyed about P331 million worth of crops and displaced at least 90,000 people, a government official said Friday.

Retired Brig. Gen. Loreto Rirao, executive director of the  disaster risk reduction and management council for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said at least 12 towns remained under water due to torrential rains.

These towns are beside the Rio Grande de Mindanao and the Liguasan marshland that made them vulnerable to flash floods, he said. Rirao said floodwaters destroyed corn, palay, tobacco, banana and vegetables.

He said the worst-hit town was Pagalungan, which sits beside the Malitubog River in the border of Maguindanao and North Cotabato. More than 900 farmers lost crops worth at least P304 million, he said.

Other towns that remained under water as of Friday were Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, Sultan sa Barongis, Raja Buayan, Datu Montawal, Paglat, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Northern Kabuntalan, Kabuntalan Mother and Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Rirao said since Maguindanao also served as the catch basin of the Pulangui River, disaster officials were preparing for the worst.

Several public elementary and high school failed to open classes this week since many schools or roads leading to them were flooded. There had been no reported casualty in Maguindanao.

In North Cotabato, seven persons have died since the onset of Typhoon “Chedeng” last week. Millions of pesos in crops were also destroyed in 10 towns, a report from the Central Mindanao disaster council said.

Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani Jr. had asked the city council to declare a state of calamity. He said 20 of the city’s 37 villages were under water.

In Matanao, Davao del Sur, the town council has declared a state of calamity due to floods that submerged several villages.

Two persons were also reported missing there this week, said Roderick Milana of the provincial disaster management office.

In Magsaysay town, also in Davao del Sur, several houses were swept by raging waters that spilled from the swollen Bulatukan River on Thursday, according to Mayor Jess Lumanog.

He said residents had been evacuated to village halls and the town gym. The mayor said at least P10 million in crops and property were destroyed. Edwin Fernandez and Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao