Flashflood strikes DavOr town

Thursday 5th of July 2012

MATI CITY, July 5 --Five sitios in Brgy. Panikian, Municipality of Banaybanay, Davao Oriental were by hit by flashfloods brought by heavy rains that started at 2 a.m. July 4, 2012.

Flood waters started to fall from the hinterlands of Brgy. Lagdik, another barangay located in the same municipality and caused the isolation of approximately 200 families from Sitios San Isidro, San Vicente, Matinabangon, and San Jose.

“The flood started at 5:00 am until 10:00 in the morning. Troops of the 28th Infantry Battalion and groups like the KARANCHO helped in the temporary evacuation of affected families. Most of them were temporarily sheltered at the Municipal compound. There were no reported damage to properties, but damaged were their crops,” said Punong Barangay Glen Paslangan.

Flood waters subsided in the late afternoon of the same day as reported by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRMMC).

The local government of Banaybanay already handed preliminary assistance like rice, and goods to the affected families.
“This is not the first time that we experience flood, but its the first time that it was that fast,” he added.

Paniquian Elementary School and Paniquian Nat'l High School were also flooded causing the cancellation of classes, but classes resumed a day after the the flood waters subsided which reached up to the waist of the rescuing soldiers.

Paslangan also divulged that aside from Barangay Paniquian, several barangays were also affected.

Data from PDRRMC said that there was a total of 144 affected families, 67 families were affected from Brgy. Calubihan, 6 families from Brgy. Cabangcalan, 60 families from Brgy. Paniquian, and 11 families from Sitio Calangawan, Brgy. Piso.

Elements of the PDRRMC also visited the area along with some rescue groups. After the waters subsided, affected families went back to their respective houses.

“My appeal to the residents is that we should be on the watch always. We don ‘t have to wait for rescue, but we should be on the look out for our own safety, and that of our children,” the Punong Barangay stressed.(Leonila Duallo/JDA/PIA XI)