COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Soldiers and civilian volunteers fully cleared yesterday a downstream channel of the Butilen River in Kabuntalan, Maguindanao of a 12-hectare layer of water hyacinths that caused flooding along its banks.
Thousands of villagers were forced to evacuate to higher grounds as the river overflowed and inundated nearby communities.
Maguindanao Rep. Bai Sandra Sema, whose office helped oversee the clearing efforts, said the evacuees though still cannot return to their homes unless the floodwaters recede.
The Butilen River traverses vast portions of the Liguasan Marsh, where water has swelled due to heavy rains since last week.
Sema said more than 10,000 families in her district alone have been displaced by the heavy flooding.