Flash floods displace 2,500

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - About 2,500 residents fled from their homes after flash floods submerged a village in the east coast of this Zamboanga City Thursday afternoon, officials said.

At least four houses made of light materials were swept and destroyed when rampaging flood waters hit the town center of Barangay Sangali about 3 p.m. and closed traffic to light motor vehicles, barangay Chair Daud Bakil.

He said the sudden rise of water did not only affect the residential houses but also business stalls as the flood waters rose up to knee deep in the town center. 

Bakil said no one was reported hurt as the people were immediately alerted when they noticed the rise of the flood waters. 

He said the flood was triggered by two hours of continuous heavy rain and waters from the mountain village cascaded to low lands and swelled its narrow creek. 

City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council immediately responded and provided the affected families with relief goods while rescue were operations were launched for residents trapped by the flood.