2 weeks of rains cause floods, landslides in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Two weeks of intermittent rains have triggered floods and landslides in various places in Mindanao, cutting off power supply in some areas and leaving a small number of casualties thus far, officials said.

In this city alone, at least six persons were injured when a wall at an automotive dealership in the Buhangin district collapsed because the rains had softened the soil, a report reaching the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council of Southern Mindanao said.

Many low-lying areas of the city have also experienced flooding since Monday, momentarily stranding hundreds of commuters and vehicles.

Gerry Pedrico, chief of the Southern Mindanao office of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration told the Inquirer that a succession of at least two low-pressure areas was behind the bad weather affecting many parts of Mindanao.

He said the weather disturbances have been dumping an unusual volume of rain – 63.8 millimeters on Monday alone – and this was continuing on Thursday.

“This is above normal,” he said.

In Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur, the Buca River also swelled and eroded a portion of the provincial road connecting several villages, according to the provincial disaster risk management council.

The provincial disaster mitigating center said minor landslides had also been reported in the province’s hinterlands.

At least five villages have been without electricity for two weeks now because the floods also felled power lines, according to Mayor Mila Cabañero of Sta. Maria.

“We are still lucky because no casualty has been reported,” said Roderick Milana, chief of the provincial disaster mitigating center.

In Lanao del Norte, six villages were also inundated and remained under water as of Wednesday, according to the Lanao del Norte disaster office.