AN eight-year-old girl has died of drowning in Lanao del Norte while nearly 6,000 individuals in the province were affected by flooding caused by the trough of a low pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine area of responsibility.
The fatality is Laurence Grace Patarlas Rapols, a resident of Barangay Dalama in Baroy town, Lanao del Norte, said Joila Maxine Esic, Lanao del Norte information officer.
“Her uncle and aunt said they were on a motorcycle. They were swept away by floodwaters. The girl did not survive,” said Esic.
The girl’s body has been retrieved.
Esic said there were initial information about people who went missing but could immediately give number. She said information were still being consolidated by the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office.
Esic said the flooding in nine towns in the province began Monday afternoon after heavy rains and peaked at midnight.
She said 1,227 families or 5,759 individuals were initially reported to have been affected by the flooding.
Of the number, 478 families or 1,856 individuals were still displaced in the towns of Tubod, Baroy, Lala, Kapatagan and Salvador as of yesterday afternoon. They are staying in 11 evacuation centers.
Esic said six houses were washed out by the flooding in Barangay Raw-an in Lala town. She said the province was still awaiting reports from other towns.
“The flooding was really severe. Thankfully, it has already subsided as of today,” said Esic.
Antonio Sugarol, director of the Office of Civil Defense-Northern Mindanao, said floods subsided yesterday morning.
Sugarol said local government units are attending to the needs of the displaced population.
“They are in good condition, though they are still (staying in evacuation centers),” he said.
Sugarol said the weather condition in the province has improved as of yesterday morning.
He said displaced individuals will be allowed to return to their homes if the improved weather condition continues.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the flooding in the province was caused by the trough of the LPA located outside PAR.
PAGASA weather specialist Anna Clauren said the LPA is not expected to enter PAR and has a small chance of intensifying into a tropical depression.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said some 8,000 families remain in 160 evacuation centers in five regions throughout the country as of January 2, because of continued rains and floods caused by a shear line in some provinces in Bicol, the Visayas and Mindanao.
DSWD data showed 8,930 families or 34,278 persons displaced in Regions V (Bicol), VI (Western Visayas), VIII (Eastern Visayas), IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), X (Northern Mindanao), XI (Davao), XII (Soccsksargen), and Caraga (XIII) due to the shear line.
Of the displaced families, 8,784 families (33,639 persons) are staying in evacuation centers in Regions V, IX, X, XI, and XIII while 146 families (639 persons) are temporarily staying with their relatives or friends. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
