Flood victims in Lanao del Sur get relief goods

LANAO DEL SUR — Rescue and emergency groups started distributing on Wednesday relief supplies to 8,962 families affected by flashfloods that hit parts of Lanao del Sur province.

Reports on Thursday from the office of Lanao del Sur Gov. Soraya Alonto-Adiong and the Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said that affected villages are near rivers that overflowed due to heavy rains.

A matrix obtained from provincial and ARMM officials showed that Wednesday’s count of flood-stricken villagers was at 8,962.

In a statement, the HEART said the figures are expected to increase since many relief workers dispatched to far-flung areas have not yet returned to report their count of affected villagers.

The provincial government of Lanao del Sur started extending relief services to residents in flooded areas as early as Tuesday.

Residents in flooded villages in Lanao del Sur's Bubong, Ditsaan-Ramain, Taraka, Maguing, Kapai, Poona Bayabao and Balabagan towns have relocated to houses of relatives in higher grounds.

HEART workers are now packing individual relief packs to be distributed to flood victims starting Monday.