Heavy rains triggered floods in several areas in Mindanao on Tuesday, affecting thousands of residents in Davao City and the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur and Cotabato, local disaster response officials said on Wednesday. The city disaster risk reduction and management office reported that 600 people sought refuge in Our Lady of Lourdes parish church and 100 others in Talomo Proper barangay hall at 11 p.m. at the height of the flooding. Nancy Catamco ordered the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council to prepare a report so the provincial government could determine the amount of assistance it would provide to affected communities. Rice farmsIn Zamboanga del Sur, at least six villages in Kumalarang town were hit by floods, affecting 500 families and submerging at least 30 hectares of rice lands. ADVERTISEMENTDonald Ibona, municipal disaster risk reduction and management action officer, said crops in 30 percent of the affected rice farms had yet to harvested when floodwaters surged.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 05, 2020 21:02 UTC