7 dead, over 2,000 displaced as rains batter Mindanao
DAVAO CITY—Heavy rains brought by a shear line have battered the eastern seaboard of Mindanao since Thursday, causing floods that forced over 2,000 individuals to flee their homes and triggering landslides that buried houses and blocked roads.
Authorities reported seven deaths due to landslides—three in Monkayo town, Davao de Oro, on Thursday evening and four in Mati City, Davao Oriental, on Friday morning.
According to Police Lt. Col. Michael Jan Peria, Monkayo police chief, the fatalities in the town were members of the same family who lived near a cliff in Barangay Rizal along the national highway.
As heavy rains poured on Thursday, barangay officials advised them to seek shelter at the village evacuation center, but they refused to heed the warning, Peria said.
He identified the victims as Rayjune Remegio, 31; Rayjune Jr., 12; and Clipper Kent, 7. Remegio’s wife, who works in Davao City, was spared as she was not home when the incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m.
“The Monkayo local government expresses its deep sorrow and assures continued assistance and support to the affected family,” a statement from the local government said.
In Mati City, a family of four died at dawn on Friday when a portion of a hill in Upper Salazar, Barangay Central, collapsed due to incessant rains.
Rescued
A landslide also buried two children who were asleep in their home in Barobo town, Surigao del Sur, shortly after 7 a.m. on Friday. However, a swift search and rescue operation by barangay officials and residents of Barangay Tambis saved them.
One victim, a 17-year-old girl, sustained multiple fractures, while a 4-year-old child suffered minor injuries. Both are now in stable condition at a local hospital, said Tambis village chief Renan Jillama Aben.
In Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, at least 500 families, or more than 2,000 individuals, have sought temporary shelter in seven evacuation centers. They are from the barangays of Burboanan, Mangagoy, Tabon, Pamanlinan, and Tumanan.
As of 2 p.m. Friday, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Jessril Oval told the Inquirer that the number of evacuees could still rise, as rescue operations were ongoing and floods had already affected 19 barangays.
Flooding and landslides were also reported in several towns in Agusan del Sur province, although no casualties have been recorded there so far.
Classes and work were suspended in much of Davao de Oro and in parts of Davao Oriental and Davao del Norte due to inclement weather.
The provincial government of Davao de Oro said some 754 families have been displaced by the floods and landslides, 570 of them staying inside evacuation centers. It added that some 21 roads and five bridges had been damaged, affecting the mobility of people and relief goods.
Amid the disasters across its area of responsibility, the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (10ID) mobilized its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response units to respond to calls for help.
Army disaster response teams were deployed to conduct preemptive evacuations, clear roads and coordinate closely with local authorities.
The 10ID documented 11 landslides and 53 flooding incidents across Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Agusan del Sur, and Surigao del Sur. It also reported that 1,139 people are currently staying in evacuation centers in these areas.
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