INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Philippines — One person died while some 830 families in three neighboring villages of this city and Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental province, were displaced from their homes by flash floods on Sunday.
Artemio Gonzales, 61, of Zone 5 in Barangay Bugo here, was assisting family members evacuate when he reportedly slipped and was swept away by raging waters.
Gonzales drowned and his remains were cremated on Monday. Nida Gonzales told Bombo Radyo her husband had a heart condition and could have also suffered a stroke.
The city’s urban villages of Bugo and Puerto and neighboring Casinglot in Tagoloan town were under floodwaters beginning late afternoon of Sunday, brought about by heavy rains in nearby Libona and Manolo Fortich towns of Bukidnon.
On Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warned of rains in the area due to a localized thunderstorm.
A video shared on social media by resident Perry Rafanan Benedictos showed rampaging waters taking over the road in Bugo village, sweeping away a motorcycle.
Benedictos wrote that it was the first time they experienced flood of such magnitude since they arrived in Bugo in 1994.
Another video uploaded on social media by the page Daddy’s VLOG showed the national highway underwater and the river’s water level almost breaching the bridge.
In some areas, the floodwaters were waist deep while in others it almost reached the ceilings of houses, forcing people to climb up to the roofs to seek help.
Power in the city was cut off at the height of the floods.
Donation drive
As of Monday morning, the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Office counted more than 762 families, or about 2,968 individuals, staying in evacuation centers in Bugo National High School, Suntingon Elementary School and Puerto covered court.
The CSWD had set up a community kitchen in the evacuation centers to cater to the food needs of the evacuees. The local government launched a donation drive for the flood victims.
Mayor Rolando Uy suspended classes in all levels on Monday in Bugo and Puerto due to the floods.
Two days earlier, on Friday, two houses were destroyed and 200 others were submerged in water in Tablon village as the Umalag River swelled and overflowed from heavy rains in Bukidnon.
In Tagoloan town, the municipal information office said 68 families were currently seeking temporary shelter at the local government’s gym where sleeping tents were being set up after floodwaters affected their homes on Sunday.
Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia has ordered the immediate deployment of relief assistance to affected villages.
—RYAN ROSAURO
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