1 dead, 7 missing in Mindanao floods

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT Personnel of the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao inspect communities in Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte, on Wednesday to assess and evaluate the extent of damage from Tuesday night’s flash floods. —photo courtesy of MSSD

COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — At least one person died and seven others were reported missing in flash floods that swept several towns in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur provinces following continuous rains on Tuesday brought about by a low-pressure area.

Jennie Tamano, Lanao del Sur provincial information officer, said a 14-year-old boy in Barangay Kabaniakawan, Kapatagan town, died in an onrush of floodwaters on Tuesday night. As of Wednesday, rescuers continued to scour Barangay Igabay in Balabagan town for Norshalla Malumpil, 3, and Abdul Major Malumpil, 2, who went missing.

As of Wednesday, Lanao del Sur authorities counted 3,199 families affected by the floods in 45 villages of Malabang, Balabagan, Kapatagan and Marogong towns.

READ: Pagasa: Rainy Monday likely in parts of Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao

In Maguindanao del Norte, Matanog Mayor Zohria Bansil-Guro said search and rescue operations continued throughout Wednesday for five persons, including three children, who went missing at the height of flash floods on Tuesday night.

Bansil-Guro said it was the first time that her upland town experienced severe flooding as a result of a weather disturbance affecting Mindanao.

Matanog, which has a population of 36,000, is situated some 277 meters above sea level.

Benyasser Sarigan, Matanog municipal planning officer, said heavy downpour on Tuesday afternoon resulted in flashfloods and mudflows that destroyed and buried at least 120 houses.

Portions of the Narciso Ramos Highway connecting the towns of Matanog and the coastal towns of Kapatagan, Balabagan and Malabang in Lanao del Sur turned into a virtual river when rainwater flowed down from the mountains of Marogong town to the coastal communities.

Highway blocked

On Tuesday, authorities closed the highway to traffic to avoid accidents, according to Sarigan. It was reopened on Wednesday at 7 a.m. after it was cleared of debris and mud.

In Lanao del Sur province, Malabang Mayor Alinader Balindong said police were still accounting for the total number of vehicles that were swept away by rampaging waters and buried by waist-deep mud and debris on Tuesday.

Like in Matanog, the portion of the highway in Malabang was closed as thick mudflow came rushing down from the mountains of Malabang and hit low-lying areas.

At least 200 houses along the national highway were damaged after these were hit by floods, Balindong said.

On Wednesday morning, soldiers and police officers assisted personnel from the Ministry of Public Works of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in clearing the highway and removing vehicles half-buried in mud.

In Maguindanao del Sur, the heavy rains resulted in massive flooding that affected over 70,000 families or about 350,000 people in 13 towns.

Ameer Jehad Ambolodto, Maguindanao del Sur provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer, said the floods hit the towns of Datu Montawal, Pagalungan, Gen. SK Pendatun, Paglat, Sultan sa Barongis, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Ampatuan, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Salibo, Mamasapano, Datu Piang and Datu Hoffer.

“These towns are situated beside the Maguindanao marshland,” Ambolodto said. “No reported casualties as of today (Wednesday), we are still gathering data on the extent of flood to families and agriculture,” he added.

Ambolodto said the displaced families, most of them staying in their relatives’ homes, had been given relief goods.