1 dead, 2 missing, over 18,000 affected by floods in Davao Occidental

DAMAGED The approach to Lais Bridge 1, which connects Barangay Lais of Malita to Don Marcelino town of Davao Occidental, collapses following heavy rains and flooding brought about by ITCZ, rendering the bridge impassable to vehicles on Dec. 27. However, the provincial government quickly fixed it the following day, making the bridge passable to vehicles the next day. —Photo courtesy of Malita Police Deputy Chief Wendell Avila.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Rescuers found the body of a 19-year old man while two others were still missing following the heavy floods and landslides that hit Malita town of Davao Occidental caused by the heavy rains spawned by the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) affecting most of the Davao region in the last three days.

Police Capt. Wendell Avila, deputy chief of the Malita police, said the body of Jhonrey Bongkil, 19, was recovered by rescuers but there was no additional detail yet as rescue teams were having a hard time entering Barangay Little Baguio where the victim came from because it was heavily hit by landslides.

Avila said Carmelita Opong, 70, from Barangay Poblacion and Joemar Patricio, 37, from Barangay Lais, were still missing since the height of the flooding and landslides in Malita town at 9:21 p.m. on Wednesday.

Initial reports said their homes had been swept away by floodwaters.

Aside from the two missing persons, the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) reported 20 persons injured and a total of 4,589 families (18,452 persons) affected by floods and landslides.

Of the 20 injured persons, 13 were from Barangay Poblacion of Malita that was mostly submerged in flood, according to the OCD report.

Evacuation sites

As of Sunday, the OCD reported that at least 760 families or 3,236 persons were staying in seven evacuation sites in Davao Occidental, where 312 houses were reported to be partially damaged and 234 houses totally damaged by rampaging floodwaters.

Some of the roads, bridges and other infrastructures damaged by the floods and landslides were already repaired. But among those not yet passable to vehicles until Sunday afternoon include the barangay road in Talaguton, Don Marcelino; the hanging bridge at Barangay Sangay in Malita town, which had been totally damaged; and the bridge at Barangay North Lamidan in Don Marcelino town, which forms part of the national highway going to the Jose Abad Santos town.

In Davao Oriental, three barangays were submerged in water at the height of the heavy rains, affecting 44 families or 152 persons.