3 dead, 3 missing as rains batter Davao region

WASHED OUT A portion of a hill in Mawab, Davao de Oro, gives way due to heavy rains on Wednesday, threatening to also erode parts of the national highway. —PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVAO DE ORO
PDRRMO

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Three died while three others were missing as of Thursday in landslides in Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental provinces triggered by heavy rains brought about by the trough of a low pressure area.

According to a statement from the local government of Maragusan town, Davao de Oro, the bodies of three fatalities were recovered on Wednesday from pile of mud and rocks at Sitio Saranga in Barangay Poblacion.

They were identified as Ananias Andoy, 56; Virginia Buhian, 59; and Jerlyn Lada, 12. A fourth victim, identified only as Felipe, was still missing as of Thursday.

In Caraga, Davao Oriental, the local government said rescuers were having difficulty reaching the remote village of Pichon where two men were reported missing on Wednesday following a landslide in Sitio Panlaisan.

Several sections of the road leading to the village had been blocked by debris from landslides.

Caraga Mayor Ronie Osnan ordered the clearing of roads to restore access to all villages and ease the transport of aid.

The rains in the past two days worsened the damage to homes, farms and public infrastructure in Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro, which are under a state of calamity due to the massive impact of floods and landslides over a week ago.

Classes had been suspended in these provinces on Wednesday and Thursday.

Flooding

In Davao City, 1,902 families (6,749 people) from at least 14 villages in this city fled their homes at the height of flooding on Wednesday and took refuge in evacuation centers.

According to a report by the Davao City police, the highest number of displaced villagers included the 528 families (1,794 people) from Barangay Ma-a and 370 families (1,375 people) from Barangay 19-B, which mostly covered the flood-prone El Rio Subdivision.

The police and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, however, noted that there was no recorded casualty in the city from the recent flooding. —REPORTS FROM RYAN D. ROSAURO AND GERMELINA LACORTE