Floods batter Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro

MANILA, Philippines - Severe flooding in Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro has left at least five people dead and affected more than 40,000 families, disaster councils said Monday. State weather agency Pagasa said the rains that inundated many areas in the region were caused by a cold front. The victims drowned while battling through raging waters. State-run Philippine News Agency reported that three died in Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro and two in Gingoog City. The flooding submerged parts of the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog and 13 tows of Misamis Oriental, disaster councils said. Authorities said 186 houses were damaged, 96 of these were swept away by rampaging waters. Hardest hit was Cagayan de Oro City. Authorities said at least 29,000 families were severely affected by flash floods in the city’s 32 barangays. In Misamis Oriental and Gingoog City, at least 18,650 families in 13 towns were displaced by flooding. The disaster also destroyed two bridges in Opol town in Misamis Oriental and another two in Agay-ay, Gingoog City. State of calamity Also Monday, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. urged President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to declare a state of calamity in the provinces in Northern Mindanao that was affected by flooding. "If she has not yet done so, the President should declare a state of calamity in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental and other parts of Northern Mindanao and move government aid to thousands displaced by the unusual flood," Pimentel said. The senator, who hails from Cagayan de Oro City, said the declaration of a state of calamity in the areas in Northern Mindanao would help facilitate the release of government assistance to the victims. He said almost 20 percent of Cagayan de Oro City was submerged in water when the nearby Kagay-an River swelled within minutes. Local disaster officials blamed logging and river quarrying for the flood. They said the floodwaters came from the mountains of Lanao and Bukidnon. Pimentel said since the forests in the mountains have been denuded, there are no more big trees to absorb the water during heavy rains, causing flooding in downstream areas. He said that Cagayan de Oro City and other low-lying areas became the holding basin of water flowing from the upland areas. On the other hand, the almost unregulated quarrying in the Kagay-an River has caused siltation and destroyed the natural flow of water. Pimentel expressed alarm that the people in many parts of Mindanao are now suffering from the disastrous consequences of the wanton destruction of the forests by illegal loggers that have been going on over the last several decades. Flash floods seen in Visayas, Mindanao A tail-end of a cold front threatens to bring flash floods and landslides to parts of Visayas and Mindanao, state weather forecasters said Monday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration also said the northeast monsoon is affecting Luzon. "The eastern section of Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with light rains. Visayas and Mindanao will be cloudy with scattered rain showers becoming widespread rains over Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. It added the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated passing showers. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be moderate coming from the northeast with moderate to seas, Pagasa said. - GMANews.TV