DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 December) – A total of 67,105 out of 86,321 affected individuals are now staying inside evacuation centers in Caraga, Davao, and Northern Mindanao regions after Tropical Storm “Kabayan” ravaged several parts of Mindanao on Monday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Tuesday.
Of the total, 65,470 individuals are staying at 379 evacuation centers in the Caraga region, 1,396 individuals in seven evacuation centers in the Davao region, and 239 individuals in four evacuation centers in Northern Mindanao.
Kabayan made landfall over Barangay Concepcion, Manay in Davao Oriental at 9:30 a.m. on Monday before it weakened into a tropical depression at 11:00 a.m., and then dissipated into a low pressure area (LPA) at 2:30 p.m. of the same day.
According to the NDRRMC, the LPA will continue to bring significant amount of rain in the next three days.
The agency reported that Kabayan destroyed at least 53 houses and one government infrastructure on its path and forced 83 local government units (LGUs) in Caraga, Northern Mindanao, and Davao to suspend classes.
It said there were 57 LGUs in Mindanao that suspended work due to Kabayan.
Karen Lou Deloso, Davao Oriental information officer, said that in Caraga town, the LGU reported that the storm affected 3,339 persons in six barangays.
As of 2:11 p.m. on Tuesday, she said the number of families from other typhoon-affected areas in the province is still unavailable as they have yet to consolidate the reports from the LGUs.
She said the response cluster groups, led by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices, conducted rescue operations in the affected areas while the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices provided aid to families staying in the evacuation centers.
As of 10 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration reported that the LPA will still “bring rain showers and thunderstorms over Mindanao.”
“Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in the hazard maps,” it said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
