4 die, 3 hurt as heavy rains, strong winds batter Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao

HELPING HANDS Local government disaster workers of Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao del Norte, on Friday help trapped civilians cross a flooded road following heavy downpour that triggered floods. —NORTH KABUNTALAN MUNICIPAL DRRM PHOTO

COTABATO CITY–-Four people were killed and three others injured when a huge tree fell on a tricycle they were riding on amid a heavy downpour spawned by the southwest monsoon in Malabang, Lanao del Sur on Friday.

The victims were heading for an Arabic school in downtown Malabang when a huge acacia tree was toppled by strong winds at about 2 p.m. and hit the passing tricycle with the students on board.

A report from the Malabang police station identified the fatalities as Jehana Cali Alikan, 13, Janna Cali Tantaon, 12, Sittie Hana Manioba, 7, and Alysa Airoden, 15. They were all students of Al-Falah Qur’an Learning Centre.

Critically injured were tricycle driver Napi Abdulazis, 18, Saila Amerol, 9, and an unidentified passenger.

All the victims are residents of Barangay Cabasaran in Malabang.

Those injured were undergoing treatment at the Dr. Serapio Montañer Hospital.

In his report to Lanao del Sur police director Col. Robert Daculan, Patrolman Hanafi Dipatuan, investigator on case, said the tricycle came from Barangay Matling when the accident happened.

FALLEN TREE An Acacia tree falls and destroys part of a sentry of the Cotabato City Police Office amid strong winds and torrential rains on Friday. —PHOTO COURTESY OF DXMS RADYO BIDA STATION

Lanao del Sur Provincial Social Welfare Officer Hadja Linang Pangkat led a team of social workers from the Ministry of Social Services and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in providing financial assistance to the families of the slain children and medical aid for victims still in the hospital.

Floods, slides

The monsoon rains in the past two days have triggered flash floods in several areas in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte.

In Cotabato City, a huge acacia tree fell due to strong winds and heavy rains and destroyed a sentry of the Cotabato City Police Office in PC Hill before dawn Saturday. Along with the fallen acacia tree were electric posts of the Cotabato Light and Power Company.

In the upland town of Upi, Maguindanao del Norte, several homes were submerged by flood waters due to daylong moderate to heavy downpour on Friday and at dawn on Saturday.

The road connecting Maguindanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur was rendered impassable on Friday afternoon due to landslides.

ROAD CLOSED A large portion of the national highway in Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur, is flooded on Saturday following rains that began on Friday night. —TALAYAN MUNICIPAL RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OFFICE PHOTO

Power outages

Electric posts and trees were toppled and power service were cut off since Friday night along the Narciso Ramos Highway that connects Matanog in Maguindanao del Norte and Kapatagan in Lanao del Sur, disaster response officials said.
Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abduraof Macacua has ordered the mobilization of all heavy equipment of the provincial engineering office for clearing operations to resume the normal flow of vehicles.

Evacuation

In North Kabuntalan town, also in Maguinadanao del Norte, Mayor Ramil Dilangalen said the municipal disaster office implemented forced evacuation of residents in Barangays Damatog and Gayonga as flash floods hit the villages.

In Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur, Mayor Datu Tungkang Midtimbang has ordered the local police to shut a portion of the national highway going to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat as it was heavily flooded.

In Lebak, the road linking the town to Cotabato City was blocked by huge rocks, mud and fallen trees in Barangay Bolebak.