1,000 more families in Compostela Valley flee from floods

In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014 photo, a house is half submerged in floodwaters following flooding of Compostela Valley and nearby provinces in southern Philippines. AP FILE PHOTO

TAGUM CITY, Philippines – The number of evacuees in Compostela Valley swelled on Monday, as over a thousand families more headed to evacuation centers due to floods spawned by Tropical Depression Agaton.

This as the weather bureau, in its 11 a.m. Monday bulletin, announced that Agaton has turned back into a low pressure area.

At least 1,305 families huddled in schools, gymnasium, and other sturdy buildings as flooding and landslide threatened nine villages in Compostela town, Jess Marron, municipal administrator, said.

In nearby Monkayo town, over a hundred families also fled in at least two villages on Monday morning as the water level of Agusan River continued to rise, said Joan Pintal, Monkayo town spokesperson.

“Roads are still passable but there (were) landslides reported in Pasian (village) and Gabanan (in Baylo village) early today,” Pintal told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by text message.

Pintal said they have not received reports about damage or injuries due to the landslides.

She said the local disaster council has been constantly monitoring the water level of major rivers there.

Other towns also have evacuees, like Mabini, along Compostela Valley’s coastline area, with 99 families, and Nabunturan, with over a dozen, said Senior Superintendent Camilo Cascolan, Compostela Valley police chief.

Cascolan said they have not received reports of landslides and flooding throughout the province.

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