Sarangani under state of calamity

KORONADAL CITY — The entire Sarangani province was placed under a state of calamity yesterday after huge waves killed two persons, wiped out hundreds of houses displacing nearly 1,000 families and destroyed P5 million worth of properties, in four coastal towns.

The affected towns are Maitum, Kiamba, Glan and Maasim.

In Maitum, the huge waves left 88 families homeless, as were 200 families in Kiamba, 589 in Maasim, and two in Glan.

Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez said the state of calamity would allow the provincial government to release funds to assist the displaced families.

Dominguez said the "abnormal" condition of the sea in the past three weeks prompted the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to pass a resolution declaring the state of calamity.

The resolution, reportedly authored by provincial board member Arturo Lawa, was approved after the calamity left two coastal residents dead.

Hermelo Latoja, operations officer of the provincial disaster coordinating council, identified the fatalities as Virginia and Love-Love Cabegdeng.

Serafin Ramos Jr., provincial information officer, said Dominguez is now identifying relocation sites for the homeless coastal folk.

The provincial board also passed a resolution calling for the immediate conduct of a geo-hazard mapping and survey to identify areas not prone to floods, landslides and other geo-hazards across the province.

Once these areas are identified, the affected families would be relocated there.

Meanwhile, rescuers have found the body a three-year-old boy who was swept away by rampaging floodwaters in Lapinig, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte.

Lanao del Norte is also under a state of calamity. — With Richel Umel