Floods submerge 16 towns in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY (PNA) – Floods brought by heavy rains the past several days have inundated 16 of 36 towns in knee-deep waters in Maguindanao, the provincial social welfare office reported Monday.

Myrna Jocelyn Henry, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao– Humanitarian Emergency Assistance Response Team (ARMM-HEART) information officer, said they were already coordinating with the Maguindanao social welfare office for the simultaneous distribution of relief goods on Tuesday to the affected areas.

The towns affected included Mangudadatu (eight barangays – 3, 417 families); ShariffSaydona (five barangays – 1, 812 families); Sultan saBarongis (five barangays – 1, 612 families); Sultan Kudarat (16 barangays – 4, 980 families); Ampatuan (three barangays – 646 families); Sultan Mastura (six barangays – 1, 014 families); Northern Kabuntalan (10 barangays – 3, 112 families); and Mother Kabuntalan (17 barangays – 3, 868 families). Also inundated were Rajah Buayan (10 barangays – 1, 912 families); Buluan (five barangays – 973 families); Mamasapano (13 barangays – 4, 523 families); DatuSalibo (17 barangays – 3, 281 families); DatuPaglat (three barangays – 1, 702 families); DatuPaglas (one barangay – 189 families); DatuPiang (3 barangays – 300 families); and Pandag (eight barangays – 1, 932 families).

Henry said most families preferred to stay at home, while others sought refuge in houses of relatives who lived in higher grounds while waiting for the floodwater to recede.

A low pressure area (LPA) caused by Tropical Storm Paolo that affected most parts of Visayas and Mindanao last week triggered the heavy rains.