6 dead in Davao floods, landslides

DAVAO CITY: At least six people were killed in flashfloods and landslides in various towns in Davao de Oro following the continuous heavy rains in the past few days.

The two casualties who drowned from the flood were identified as Mimai Pagantupan in New Bataan and Marcilla Bantasan in Pantukan.

The other four casualties who died due to landslides in Maragusan and New Bataan have been identified as Junjun Romagos, Jerlyn Lada, Virginia Buhian and Andoy Ananias.

Rescuers are still searching for one more missing person in the Maragusan landslide.

Meanwhile, six houses were totally destroyed in a landslide in Sitio Balite, Barangay Marilog, Marilog District here on Wednesday evening, January 31.

Davao City Police Office reported that one of the houses caught fire after an explosion of the transformer from a light post nearby.

Office of Civil Defense 11 regional director Ednar Dayanghirang, in a press conference Friday morning, said that a total of 278,000 residents or 72,000 families in Davao Region have been affected by the weather disturbance.

He said 262 barangay (villages) across the region were severely affected by the flood and landslide due to nonstop rain.

Out of 278,000 affected population, 44,720 individuals or 12,978 families are currently staying in designated evacuation centers or with relatives in safer grounds.

There are 183 evacuation centers for calamity victims in the region.

The evacuees were also provided with food packs from the concerned government agencies and other private individuals.