State of calamity declared in Jolo

MANILA, Philippines –  A state of calamity has been declared in Jolo, Sulu as thousands of people were displaced due to heavy rains and floods brought by a low pressure area, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.  

In a report released 6 a.m. yesterday, NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the declaration was made by Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin.

A state of calamity would allow the local governments to tap their respective calamity funds.

Ramos said eight barangays in Sulu were affected as heavy rains and big waves occurred along the shorelines of Jolo. These barangays are Walled City, Alat, Chinese Pier, Asturias, Takut-Takut, Tulay town proper, San Raymundo and Kasangayan. For the entire Sulu province, a total of 14 villages were hit by the bad weather.  

NDRRMC said 1,140 families or 4,560 persons in Sulu were affected and displaced due to the huge waves.

Ramos said about 30 residential houses in Jolo were damaged. Sources of potable water in Jolo are already contaminated.  

The death toll from the low pressure area has risen to 15 yesterday, 11 of them reported in the Caraga region. Two deaths were reported each in Misamis Oriental and Compostela Valley.  

Three people, two of them in Southern Leyte and one in Surigao del Norte, were reported missing.

NDRRMC said the low pressure area has damaged P418 million worth of infrastructure and agriculture in Caraga region, which consists of Agusan del Norte and Sur, Surigao del Norte and Sur and Dinagat Islands. Data on the property damage in all affected provinces was not yet available.

A total of 104,484 families or 530,519 persons were affected in 566 barangays in Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regions.

NDRRMC said 14,779 families or 72,995 persons have been brought to 41 evacuation centers. 

Ramos said the local government of Jolo has provided immediate relief and food assistance to the evacuees.

He said disaster management officials are now coordinating to transport goods to Jolo from Zamboanga City. The regional social welfare department, through a Navy vessel, has sent family packs to Jolo consisting of canned goods, rice, noodles, milk and clothing.