Flash floods hit 9 Tagum villages

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—Flash floods triggered by more than four hours of torrential rain forced more than 340 persons out of their homes in at least nine districts of this city and outlying villages on Thursday, officials said.

Romulo Tagalo, provincial information officer, said the rain was caused by a local thunderstorm.

He said that based on data from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the thunderstorm dumped “a month’s worth of rain in just four hours.”

Tagalo said no injuries were reported as a result of the flooding.

The floods affected the villages of Poblacion, Magugpo West, Magugpo North, Magugpo South, Magugpo East within the city and the villages of Apokon, Mankilam and San Miguel on the city’s outskirts but had subsided by Friday, according to Redentor Cardinal, operations chief of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council.

The displaced residents have since returned home, Tagalo said.