Davao flood death toll hits 29; 3 still missing

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  – The death toll in the flashfloods that struck Davao City on Wednesday has reached 29, including 16 minors some as young as eight months old, officials said yesterday.

City Social Services and Development Office chief Malou Bermudo said three others remained missing.

Bermudo said more than 20,000 families from barangays Matina Pangi, Matina Aplaya, Matina Crossing, Balusong and Talomo had been evacuated and refused to return to their homes even after the heavy rains subsided late Wed-nesday.

Sixteen-year-old Keizel Tano, 4-year-old Angelo Tano, Cherry Saturos and one year and four months-old Rogelio Valderoza III were the latest casualties after they were fished out of the Matina Pangi River that overflowed due to a three-hour downpour late Tuesday to early Wednesday.

Most of the victims drowned, officials said. They were from barangays Matina Crossing, Matina Pangi, Talomo and Matina Aplaya.

Mayor Sara Duterte said the city government has set P51.5 million calamity fund as relief assistance to families affected by the flashfloods.

Duterte said the victims could also choose to move to another area that has been designated as relocation site.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also released P380,000 worth of augmentation relief assistance to the local government of Davao City.

The DSWD-Field Office XI also requested its Central Office to release of P5.3 million more to purchase additional relief goods.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said they continue to augment the resources of the local governments in Regions 11 (Southern Mindanao) and 12 (Soccsksargen).

As of yesterday, Soliman said a total of P21.19 million worth of assistance has been provided to the affected families.

The flashflood that hit Davao City and Region 11 affected some 27,261 families with 136,305 persons from five barangays in the city.

As of yesterday, Soliman said two evacuation centers remained open where some 521 families with 2,605 persons are being served.

These are located in Matina Crossing, serving 511 families with 2,555 persons, and in Barangay Aplaya with 10 families, she said.

Soliman added a large number of the affected-families who stayed earlier in the evacuation centers returned to their homes after the floods subsided.

Rescue units from city government’s Central 911 Emergency Response Center, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other volunteer groups continued with the search and rescue operations for those reported missing.

Duterte called on residents to immediately evacuate should heavy rains continue to pour even just for 30 minutes.

Duterte blamed illegal logging activities in the city for the flashfloods.

The state weather bureau, on the other hand, said rains would continue in the city and other parts of the region due to the prevailing intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). – With Helen Flores