Calamities hit parts of Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC) reported yesterday that lives were feared lost and properties were damaged in a series of calamities that hit several areas in Mindanao last week.

In Zamboanga Sibugay, four children were reported missing in a landslide that buried houses in Kabalasan town last Tuesday, officials reported yesterday.

The children were identified as                 Fatima, 12; Eugene, 9; Sherlyn Mae, 7, and Eziquel Meziah, 3, all surnamed Maghanoy.

Eduardo del Rosario, NDRRMC executive director, said the search and rescue operations for the missing children were ongoing as of press time.

Del Rosario said the NDRRMC is also conducting an inventory of the number of fishing boats destroyed by a tornado that hit a village in San Pablo town in  Zamboanga del Sur last Wednesday.

The twister forced families to leave their homes. They are currently sheltered at the nearby school building.

In South Cotabato, flashfloods destroyed ricefields in Barangay Sumbakil in Polomok town also last Wednesday, forcing the villagers to evacuate to safer grounds.

Seven hectares of ricefields were reported destroyed in the floods.