Mindanaotoday.com | MisOr provincial government still assessing damage in flood-affected towns
By: Jigger Jerusalem
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The provincial government of Misamis Oriental is still on the process of assessing the extent of the damage brought by flooding in some of the towns and cities.
John Venice Ladaga, the provincial administrator, said in an interview Thursday, Dec. 29, that they have conducted an onsite damage assessment and analysis on areas affected by the flood.
“Gov. Peter Unabia, with the provincial engineering and the Department of Public Works and Highways, has inspected the affected areas and ensure that rehabilitation and recovery efforts are to be undertaken with haste after the assessment,” Ladaga said.
He said Gingoog City was hit the hardest by the flood and has sustained heavy damage on infrastructure.
According to the report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-10 (RDRRMC-10) to the Office of Civil Defense Administrator Raymundo Ferrer, irrigation canals and machineries that were destroyed in Gingoog was initially pegged at P20 million.
The neighboring municipalities of Balingasag, Medina, Salay, Balingoan were also gravely affected by the flooding brought by sustained rains caused by the shear line that the state weather bureau said has started on Christmas eve.
A shear line occurs when warm and cold winds meet in the atmosphere resulting to rain cloud formation.
The same RDRRMC-10 report said there are 76 villages that were affected by the flood that has displaced 12,374 families or 57,781 individuals in the province.
Ladaga said the DPWH is expected to submit its full report on the extent of the province-wide damage on infrastructure and agriculture, including houses, with corresponding cost on Saturday, Dec. 31.
He said the governor has also instructed the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) to distribute assistance to the flooded residents.
“Gov. Unabia has ordered the distribution of food packs to the affected families, as well as providing psychosocial interventions especially to those who have evacuated,” Ladaga said, adding that so far the provincial government, through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office has delivered more than 26,000 food packs.
Ladaga said that even some of the beach resorts and tourist destinations located on the province’s coastal towns, especially on the eastern area, were not spared from the onslaught of wind and flood.
He said the organizers of the annual Kuyamis Festival had to move to another venue for its swimsuit competition since a resort in Badiangon, Gingoog was being cleaned up due to the damage brought by the strong winds and fierce waves.
The venue for the swimsuit event was moved to El Salvador City, but the provincial government has assured the Misamisnons that the Kuyamis Festival activities will push though. Hopefully, the weather condition will improve after the New Year, Lagada added.
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