Village officials of Manubuan in Matalam town, Cotabato province inspect a severely damaged banana plantation after a tornado on Saturday afternoon. (WILLIAMOR A. MAGBANUA)
KIDAPAWAN CITY — At least P1 million worth of crops were damaged by a tornado that struck two villages of Matalam town last November 13.
According to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), fruit-bearing bananas, latex-producing rubber trees, and mango trees were either uprooted or flattened by the tornado that swept through the town last Saturday afternoon.
In the village of Manubuan, some five hectares of croplands were affected.
Matalam Vice Mayor Cheryl Catamco said there was first a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds and then the tornado was spotted in Barangay Poblacion, moving across the national highway towards Barangay Manubuan.
Apart from agricultural crops, the tornado also damaged houses, temporarily displacing residents.
Manubuan village chief Arthur Mark Pulangco said at least 22 houses made of light materials were partially damaged in their community.
In Poblacion, the MDRRMO counted 14 partially damaged houses.
Catamco said it was a consolation that no one was hurt although some 36 families temporarily stayed at a covered court in the town center until Monday morning as their homes were still being fixed.
Mayor Oscar Valdivieso has distributed construction materials to the affected families so they can rebuild their damaged houses.