Tornado damages houses, fishing boats, Islamic school in Zamboanga’s east coast

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur—A powerful tornado on Tuesday battered two island barangays in this city’s east coast, destroying houses, fishing boats, and a madrasa.

Maria Socorro Rojas, city social welfare officer, said at least 10 houses were destroyed, seven in Pasilmanta village and three in Busay.

Rojas said their social workers have reached out to the affected families temporarily housed at the Manicahan National High School – Pasilmanta Annex, extending relief assistance.

Myrna Dapii, a teacher in Pasilmanta, said the incident happened past 1 p.m. Tuesday, just after they finished giving modules to parents. “Luckily, it happened after the distribution,” she said.

Pasilmanta village chair Nasser Absarani said other displaced families temporarily sought shelter with relatives nearby.

Zamboanga City information officer Sheila Belen Covarrubias said aside from the houses, two fishing boats were damaged, and some fruit-bearing trees, like bananas, were toppled.

“The incident happened as the city was experiencing heavy rains spawned by the shear line, the tail-end of the frontal system affecting Mindanao and other parts of the country,” Covarrubias said in a statement.

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