Chunks of water hyacinths block flow of Buluan River

KIDAPAWAN CITY – Big chunks of water hyacinths coming from Liguasan Marsh are blocking the flow of the river in Buluan, the temporary capital of Maguindanao province, which led to the inundation of the villages near Buluan Lake. The Liguasan Marsh is a catch basin of rivers from Maguindanao, Bukidnon, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato. The flooding in Buluan, according to residents in the area, has started since last week of August when torrential rains hit the region. The knee-high floodwaters destroyed their farmlands, though no data as to extent of damage are available as of this time. They fear the hyacinths could tangle with columns of the Buluan Bridge located along the Buluan Datu Paglas Highway, which. Meantime, in other parts of Maguindanao, big chucks of water hyacinths from the 220-thousand hectare Liguasan Marsh have again been flowing into the Rio Grande de Mindanao. In June, Cotabato City and other parts of southern Mindanao experienced their worst flooding in years, which authorities blamed on water hyacinths. Residents have urged government officials to look for ways to break the chunks of water hyacinths to prevent them from accumulating. — Malu Manar/RSJ, GMA News