6 dead, 1 missing due to continuous heavy rains in Caraga, RDCC record shows

Six dead and one missing were reported by Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC)-Caraga due to continuous heavy rains in the region which started Saturday (January 10).

As of 1:00 this afternoon, RDCC-Caraga Executive Officer and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Blanche Gobenciong reported that a certain Veronica Pepoy, 51 years old and a resident of Nueva Estrella, Cagdianao in Dinagat Islands Province was drowned when the boat she was riding capsized.

In Agusan del Sur, two persons were reportedly dead and one of these is still unidentified as of press time. The unidentified male cadaver was reportedly found at Agusan River in Barangay Taglubong, Trento. The other casualty is identified as Zacarias Gales, 33 years old, resident of Brgy. Pisaan, San Francisco. He was reportedly missing last January 13 and his dead body was found at Adlayan River along Managbay, Bitan-agan, San Francisco about 6:00 a.m. on January 14, 2009.

Another victim from Surigao del Norte is identified as Roland Yamyamin, 31 years old of Brgy. Aurora, Surigao City. Same with Veronica Pepoy, he was drowned when the boat he was riding capsized.

In Bislig City, two unidentified men were buried due to yesterday’s landslide along the highway at Brgy. Gangas, Cumayas. They were buried by rushing mud and debris.

RDCC also reported one missing in Agusan del Norte. The victim was identified as Jerome Goliat, 22 years old and a resident of Purok 6, Brgy. Songkoy, Kitcharao. According to report, Goliat was swept by strong water current.

Meanwhile, 1,388 families or 8,312 individuals from the Province of Dinagat Islands were reportedly affected by floods due to incessant rains.

In Agusan del Norte, 1,501 families or 6,867 people are reportedly affected. Agusan del Sur with 264 families or 1,231 individuals; Surigao del Sur – 130 families or 376 persons; and Surigao del Norte – 518 families or 2,082 people.

Summing it up, 2,505 families or 10,588 people are greatly affected by the disaster in Caraga Region.

As to the number of evacuees, in the Province of Dinagat Islands, 92 families evacuated in evacuation centers of the province: Poblacion Day Care Center, Chapel and in Tubajon Elementary School.

In Agusan del Norte, 1,351 families have evacuated in evacuation centers. Of these families, the municipality of Carmen posted 1,010 families while in the municipality of Jabonga, 341 families were reportedly evacuated.

Reported damage to houses in Dinagat islands is estimated to Php 340,000 and in Agusan del Sur, Php 15,000.

Lifeline status of Butuan City shows that barangay road at Baan Riverside, particularly Puroks 6, 6-A, and 7 were flooded under water as well as in Baan Central Elementary School quadrangle.

In Carmen, Agusan del Norte, all elementary and secondary school campuses are also flooded. The landslide portion of Manoligao Provincial Road, Boundary Tagcatong National Highway, Bolihon-Vinapor Provincial Road in Brgy. Poblacion, and some portion of municipal roads are flooded and damaged.

Bridges in Brgys. Bunawan Brook, Nueva Era, and Sitio Mangadao in Agusan del Sur are not passable. Electricity and water system in Esperanza is unserviceable, while barangays La Caridad, Napo, and San Pedro in Prosperidad is submerged in water as well as the roads in barangays Ladgadan, Ebro, Tagapua, Borbon, News Visayas, and Calimpugan in San Francisco.

The whole town of San Miguel in Surigao del Sur is flooded. Electricty is also unserviceable as of press time and roads are not passable to all types of vehicles.

Electrical posts at barangays Poblacion and Julio Ouano in Alegria, Surigao del Norte need to be fixed including street-light connection. The water supply connection in Brgy. Alipao is also affected by flashflood. Blue pipes installed near Candiis River were damaged. Also, the road connecting Brgy. Ombong to Camp Eduard needs immediate repair sicne culverts were displaced and two landslides occurred and is no longer passable by four-wheel vehicles.

Roads and bridges in Surigao City were partially damaged. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-13)

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