Floods displace 15,000 Maguindanao villagers

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Rains spawned by Typhoon Chedeng triggered floods that displaced some 15,000 villagers in Maguindanao on Friday, officials said.

In Sultan Kudarat town alone, Mayor Tocao Mastura said, 8,000 had to flee because of the rising waters, brought about by the swelling of the Rio Grande de Mindanao.

“Even our national highway at Barangay (village) Bulalo was not spared,” he said.

At least two children drowned while swimming in the river.

Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu said reports reaching him also indicated that more than 5,000 people were displaced when floods inundated villages in the municipalities of Montawal, Pagalungan, Kabuntalan, Datu Piang, Datu Unsay and Sultan sa Barongis.

He said more floods could be expected unless the weather improved.

Mangudadatu said he ordered an assessment of the damage from the floods and the assistance needed by the affected residents.

Pombaen Karon-Kader, social welfare secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said food and other basic necessities would be made available to affected residents after documentation by field officers.

Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, ARMM health secretary, said health workers in the province have been deployed to help guard against water-borne diseases.