Davao del Norte Activates Incident Command as 5 Towns Flooded Due to Heavy Rains

The five major rivers in Davao del Norte overflowed to residential areas, affecting a total of 4,000 families or 15,000 individuals from five towns in the province.

This prompted the provincial government to activate its Incident Command System to assist the affected towns of Braulio E. Dujali, Kapalong, New Corella, Asuncion and Carmen.

The provincial government reported that Libuganon and Saug rivers have already reached its critical level while municipalities have been advised to closely monitor as the weather disturbance is expected to last until Sunday.

Residents of low-lying areas were advised to perform pre-emptive evacuations if necessary.

The provincial information office also reported that classes in all levels were suspended in affected barangays as of Thursday.

Barangay Pagsabangan in Tagum City already declared suspension of classes in anticipation of the onset of flooding as pre-emptive measure, the provincial office reported.

Based on reports from municipalities, the province bared that over 15,000 individuals from six barangays of Kapalong have been evacuated.

In Braulio E. Dujali, the Emergency Response Team reported that three families in Brgy. Magupising, were evacuated to Purok Manghai.

Flooding in Davao del Norte started Tuesday in the municipalities of Kapalong and Braulio Dujali where more than 7,000 residents from seven barangays were initially evacuated after the Libuganon River overflowed, caused by intermittent rains due to low pressure area and tail-end of cold front.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council assured of the provincial augmentation to the affected municipalities.

The heavy rains was brought by an LPA formed in Zamboanga Peninsula with a tail-end of a cold front affecting Visayas and northern Mindanao.(PNA)JMC/LILIAN C. MELLEJOR/LDP