State of calamity set to declare in Surigao City, city dad asks army to assist victims in island

SURIGAO CITY (15 January) - Mayor Alfonso Casurra, City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) chairman, mobilized all government resources to assist the over a hundred families affected by the flashfloods caused by continuous rains in the past few days.
Mayor Casurra convened the CDCC yesterday afternoon, Jan. 14 and upon recommendation of the CDCC, the Sangguniang Panlungsod is set to declare the city under a state of calamity.

As of yesterday, Jan. 14, 2009, Brgy. San Juan reported an estimated P500,000.00 damage with 103 number of evacuees while14 houses were totally destroyed and 52 houses were partially damaged.

Widespread of farmlands and fishponds were reported damaged by the City Agriculture Office, to wit: rice amounted to P424,800.00, root crops P1,275,000.00, fish pond P220,000.00, fish coral P1, 920,000.00, seaweed P150,000.00 while dam and main canals amounted to 870,000.00. Total damage reported in agriculture amounted to P4,859,800.00

Records from the City Engineering Office, the agency tasked to monitor the infrastructure in the city, reported major damages in roads particularly in the City Boulevard amounted to P750,000.00, Sitio Looc P100,000.00, Roland Sering road P200,000.00, some city streets P150,000.00, Calipayan road P100,000.00, Bagong Silang road P100,000.00, Upper Sangay road P200,000.00, Entrance of SCBJT P300,000.00, Sitio Tumanday road P100,000.00, Punta Bilar road P500,000.00 and Togonan road P300,000.00. Total damage in infrastructure amounted to P2,800.000.00.

Also, following the cancellation of the RORO vessels and other sea vessels operating from the mainland Surigao City to different islands of the province, Mayor Casurra in an interview with a local radio station in Butuan said that the city and provincial government of Surigao del Norte are requesting the Philippine Army for the use of its chopper to bring foods and other basic commodities to 21 island-barangays in the city.

Meanwhile, the Quick Action Response Team in the city is now closely coordinating with Mayor Casurra and the CDCC not only in matters of security but also in assisting the victims and monitoring other flashflood incidences. (Fryan E. Abkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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