INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
DIGOS CITY — Hours of heavy rains that started Wednesday night caused rivers to overflow in Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental provinces, submerging some government centers and villages in flood early Thursday.
Reports from the different disaster response units in the province confirmed that rivers overflowed because of the sheer volume of rain that poured overnight, affecting Kiblawan and Malalag town residents.
In Malalag, the public market near the river was flooded by more than a meter. Rescuers used heavy equipment to rescue people trapped in different buildings. People living near the Malalag river were also forced to evacuate as the flood showed no sign of abating.
A landslide at Barangay Baluyan also rendered the national highway that linked this city and General Santos City impassable, Authorities advised motorists to use the Makilala, Cotabato route passing through Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat to reach General Santos.
The local governments of Kiblawan and Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, suspended all classes due to rising flood in their towns.
In Davao Occidental, the towns of Sta. Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino and Jose Abad Santos also experienced flooding on Thursday. In Sta. Maria, affected areas included Sitio Tibungoy, Sitio Pugad-Buaya of Barangay San Isidro, Barangay Buca, and Barangay Pongpong.
Harry Chester Firman Camoro, Davao Occidental disaster risk reduction and management officer (PDRRMO), said a portion of the Sta. Maria to Malita Highway remained impassable to light vehicles due to landslides on roadside slopes.
In Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental, the municipal disaster team already announced that the road along the Sitio Cabalantian, Kinanga village connecting Malita to the Jose Abad Santos town was already passable on Thursday. However, motorists had to be cautious due to falling rocks, and very slippery roads.
The Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative also announced a power outage Thursday morning in Malalag, Sta. Maria, and Malita, Davao del Sur.
In Digos City, all major junctions, including Caños, Yamada, Aplaya, Matti and Power, were back to normal. Motorists were advised to use the McArthur Highway (Citi Hardware Road), the Cogon to Kapatagan Road, and the Tres de Mayo to Sitio Power since these roads were already passable as of press time.
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