100 residents flee Davao Oriental villages due to flashfloods

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—Over a hundred residents fled their homes as flashfloods hit several low-lying villages in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental early Wednesday, the military said.

As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, however, floodwaters in the villages of Panikian, Cabangcalan and Piso started to subside, said Major Maria Rosa Manuel, spokesperson of the army’s 10th civil military operations battalion.

Manuel said soldiers from the 28th Infantry Battalion rescued 48 families from the three villages and brought them to the Banaybanay Municipal Women’s Training Center in the town proper.

Units from the Banaybanay police and the Davao Oriental disaster risk reduction and management council (DRRMC) were also dispatched and are now helping in the rescue efforts.

Heavy rain in the municipality triggered floodwaters, which began to rise around 6 a.m. Wednesday, a staff of the DRRMC told the INQUIRER by phone.

“We have yet to receive reports of any casualty. Rescue operations are still ongoing in the affected area,” she said.