DAVAO CITY – At least five municipalities and one city in Davao del Norte have declared themselves under a state of calamity after heavy rains caused massive flooding in the province over the past week.
Declared under a state of calamity were Tagum City and the municipalities of Kapalong, Asuncion, Braulio E. Dujali, Carmen, and New Corella.
In Tagum City, nine out of 23 barangays were flooded by the moderate to heavy rains.
Crop damage was estimated to be P74 million in Tagum alone, with 2,659 families based in Barangays Busaon, Bincungan, Liboganon, Pagsabangan, Cuambogan, Pandapan, Makilam, San Miguel and Canocotan displaced by the floods.
Days of heavy downpour led to the spilling points of two major river tributaries of Davao del Norte – Saug River and Liboganon River basin – that affected low-lying barangays of Tagum and triggered flash floods, the city’s information office said.
Damage to infrastructure, meanwhile, is pegged at P1,015,000, based on the damage assessment report by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).
The City Council of Tagum declared the city under a state of calamity in a resolution passed last January 24, 2017.
Classes were suspended throughout the affected municipalities.
In Asuncion, barangays Cabaywa, Sagayen, Doña Andrea, Sta. Filomena, Canatan, Buclad, Camansa, Magatos, New Bantayan, Cambanogoy, Concepcion, Camoning, and San Vicente were affected by the flood and affected 11,279 families.
(Yas D. Ocampo)