North Cotabato Town Placed Under State of Calamity After Flash Floods

Kabacan, North Cotabato – The town council here has placed the entire town under state of calamity following the flash floods last week that also affected other towns in North Cotabato, officials said Thursday.

At least seven low lying villages were submerged by floods after the Kabacan river overflowed following an overnight moderate rain in the mountains of North Cotabato.

Rampaging flood also killed two farmers, one of them from Kabacan, and damaged several houses and agricultural products.

Mayor Herlo Guzman said the town council acted on the recommendation of municipal disaster risk reduction and management council to place the town under a state of calamity to allow the local government to use its calamity fund to mitigate the impact of natural calamity.

He said his office will extend financial assistance to affected families and farmers and repair of infrastructure damaged by floods.

David Saure, MDRRMC chair, said about 2,465 families or 12,325 individuals were affected by floods which came at past 9 a.m. on Wednesday last week.

He identified the affected villages as Poblacion, Kayaga, Aringay, Bangilan, Dagupan, Pedtad, Salapungan, Malanduage and Katidtuan.

The town agriculture office is yet to determine the exact damages to agriculture and livestock.

Some of the displaced families remained at the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) campus gymnasium while others have returned home.

Guzman said the town engineering office is still determining the needs of families whose houses were partly and totally destroyed.

Two days after the flash floods, the remains of Winnie Pajedano, a 61 year old farmer from Arakan, North Cotabato was recovered down stream of Kabacan river, particularly near Antipas area.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza also directed the provincial disaster disaster team to continue extending assistance to families who cannot return home as of yet since their houses were totally destroyed. (PNA) FPV/NYP/EOF