20 hurt as tornado hits 2 Cagayan de Oro villages

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY ,Philippines  – At least 20 villagers were injured and 70 houses were damaged and destroyed affecting at least 110 families after a tornado struck two barangays in this city Friday afternoon.

Reports from the Cagayan de Oro City Disaster Coordinating Council said the twister hit Barangays Patag and Bulua past 4 p.m. Friday, seriously hurting fish vendor Edwin Saquilayan, 34, after a steel roofing hit his right leg.

Barangay Patag chairman Johnny Fabricante told The STAR that in his barangay alone 12 residents sustained injuries and some 70 families were displaced.

Fabricante said their problem now is how to cut the trunks of huge fruit trees that fell on houses, as they had no cutting equipment and trucks to haul the debris.

Fabricante said some of the affected families have sought temporary shelter in relatives’ homes as well as in chapels and the barangay covered court.

In Barangay Bulua, particularly in Zones 2, 10 and 11, some 50 houses were damaged and destroyed.

Barangay Bulua chairman Al Legaspi said they were still assessing the extent of damage.

“We don’t have chainsaws that will cut these trees and we pray that the city government will help us. We have been waiting for them since last night and this morning and until now no one is helping us,” a resident said.