© n/a
Five of the fatalities were reported to have died in downtown Jolo Thursday evening as heavy rains, big waves and three coastal tornadoes battered the capital of the island province of Sulu, said the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council and a Roman Catholic priest.
Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin said reports reaching him indicated that three people, two of them children, were killed and two others were missing. It was not immediately known if the new figure released by the provincial disaster coordinating council included those missing.
The council said 25 persons were injured.
Amin said it was the first time a flood of that magnitude - up to eight feet deep in the Asturias and San Raymundo areas - hit the town.
"This is the first time I witnessed this kind of flooding," he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone.
Amin described the situation in Jolo as akin to that experienced by some places in Metro Manila during the passage of Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009.
"Even vehicles were carried away by the strong current," he said, adding the town was still under water Friday.
"The water has receded a few meters. It's waist-deep now," he said, adding that it was again raining Friday afternoon.
Marine Vice Commandant Brigadier General Eugenio Clemen, who was in Jolo for the anniversary of the 3rd Marine Brigade, said the town "became a river."
"Lots of vehicles were swept and houses were damaged," he said.
Clemen said the disaster prompted the Marines to forego the celebrations and help flood victims instead.
Jeffrey Sampang, a radio reporter of dxMM, said people climbed up the roofs of their houses to escape the raging waters.
He said one of the vehicles swept by the flood was that of Maimbung Mayor Samir Tan.
The provincial disaster coordinating office said at least 300 houses were damaged.
Maydelin Bahjin, Sulu social welfare director, said they were still consolidating damage reports from the field.
Sampang said based on reports they gathered, at least two persons remained missing. Amin confirmed receiving a similar report.
Oblate Father Charlie Inzon of the Notre Dame of Jolo told Radio dxMS in Cotabato City that the flood occurred after two freak tornadoes hit Jolo's coastal villages.
"It was really devastating, people were surprised that water suddenly rose," Inzon said.
He said the situation was compounded by water rushing down the mountains following heavy rains.
"Even the Jolo Cathedral was not spared; the water reached the altar," Inzon said.
A report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that heavy rains have been affecting Jolo and big waves battered coastal areas.
Inzon said the number of affected families could reach more than 3,000 as per initial estimate.
Amin said food and medicines were the immediate need of families affected by the disaster.
"We also need prayers," he said.
Father Ramon Bernabe, Oblate of Mary Immaculate provincial superior, said that reports reaching him indicated that appliances also littered Jolo following the floods.
He asked the people "to please keep the people of Jolo in your prayers."
In Compostela Valley, two persons died after they were swept by raging floodwaters on Wednesday, the police said Friday.
Senior Superintendent Aaron Aquino, Compostela Valley police chief, said the body of Teresita Alcon,50, was fished out of a river in Osmeña village in Compostela on Friday, two days after she was swept away by the flood.
The body of the other victim, identified as Rocel Antipuesto, 6, of Elizalde village in Maco was recovered Wednesday.
Aquino said floodwaters in those two towns have started to recede.
Elsewhere in Mindanao, the NDRRMC reported that floods also affected several other places, namely, Misamis Oriental, Gingoog City, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Camiguin island.
With a report from Radyo Inquirer
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter