MANILA, Philippines – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is now under a state of calamity due to massive flooding triggered by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae), Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said on Saturday.
Ebrahim said that 10 municipalities / areas were devastated by Paeng, including Cotabato City.
In a video posted on Facebook, Ebrahim said that the BARMM had prepared for the onslaught of Paeng, but was ultimately overwhelmed by the tropical cyclone’s fury.
“Pinaghandaan ng Bangsamoro government ang Bagyong Paeng, bago pa man ito tumama sa ating rehiyon. Gayon pa man, ang walang tigil na pagbuhos ng ulan, simula kagabi ay nagdulot ng pag-apaw ng mga ilog at dagat, na siya naman nagdulot ng landslide at matinding pagbaha,” Ebhrahim said.
(The Bangsamoro government prepared even before Severe Tropical Storm Paeng hit our region. Despite this, the non-stop rain beginning last night caused rivers to overflow, which triggered landslides and floods).
Forty deaths due to Paeng have so far been reported in the BARMM.
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