Heavy rains wreak havoc in S. Cotabato, Lanao, too

KORONADAL CITY — Residents of two municipalities in South Cotabato and Lanao del Norte are also reeling from flash floods and landslides spawned by days of continuous rains.

In Munai, Lanao del Norte, local officials are set to declare a state of calamity after concerned government agencies have fully assessed the extent of the damage.

The swelling of the Liangan River has caused the collapse of the Matampay and Dalama bridges. Personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways are rushing the construction of temporary bridges.

Several hectares of agricultural lands are flooded, destroying crops and livestock, said Mayor Casan Maquiling.

Projects under the government’s Kalahi-CIDSS (Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services) program have to be stopped because of the heavy rainfall.

Some portions of the road leading to Munai have been cleared of landslides and are now passable.

Maquiling said there were no reports of casualties.

In T’boli, South Cotabato, flash floods and landslides have killed at least three people and destroyed agricultural crops.

Two of the fatalities, spouses Furong Dani and Nga No Tamanggong, drowned when flash floods swept their village of Lamhaku.

The third fatality, Cali Naway Manok, a B’laan, was buried alive in a landslide in Sitio Datal Emboyung in Barangay Lambuling.

Damage to crops in T’boli town was initially placed at P100,000.

In a radio interview, Bella Lechonsito, South Cotabato’s social welfare and development officer, blamed kaingin (slash-and-burn farming) for the flashfloods and landslides that hit parts of the province, especially T’boli.

"Dapat ihinto na nila ito para maiwasan ang disgrasya lalo na yung nakatira sa ibaba ng bundok (They should stop it to prevent such a tragedy, especially for those living at the foot of the mountain)," she said.

Lechonsito said disaster control personnel are still on alert as the continuous heavy rains might trigger landslides and flash floods in other parts of the province.