OVER 600 families were affected and hundreds of individuals were evacuated due to flooding caused by heavy rains on Saturday night in Davao City.
Based on CDDRMO data, 70 families were affected in Matina Aplaya, 120 families in Matina Pangi, and 415 families in Matina Crossing.
The localized thunderstorms brought heavy downpours causing street flooding, particularly in Matina Crossing, Matina Aplaya, and Matina Pangi.
On Saturday evening, rescuers conducted preemptive evacuation procedures but the waters started to subside around 10:30 p.m., so the residents safely returned to their respective houses.
CDRRMO chief Alfredo Baloran said five houses in Matina Pangi were totally damaged since they were situated near the tributary of the Matina River.
“As of now, the five families sought shelter with their neighbor’s houses and have been assessed by the city social welfare and development office for the available assistance,” Baloran told reporters in a sideline interview after the flag-raising ceremony.
He stressed that the office conducted an assessment on Sunday, especially of houses built near the riverbank. A total of 15 houses were reported partially damaged.
“We have continuously campaigned to those residents living in low-lying areas, not only in Matina River tributary but to all hazard-prone, to find a safer place to build the houses, because these areas have already been identified,” Baloran said.
Meanwhile, the office also received a belated report of a farmer killed in the Paquibato area. Baloran said the farmer tried to save his farm horse on the other side of the river.
He added that the affected residents have volunteered to evacuate on Saturday, and there have been no reports of violators of the preemptive evacuation ordinance. With reports from Rhoda Grace B. Saron
