DAVAO ORIENTAL – Governor Nelson Dayanghirang has activated earlier this evening the province’s Incident Command System as the Davao Oriental continues to experience “non-stop” light to heavy downpour that has caused flooding and landslides in some areas here.
In the municipality of Cateel, 10 families or 37 individuals from Barangays Abejod and Mainit have been evacuated to safer grounds due to flooding. The said families have already received food packs from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office.
701st Brigade Commander Col. Manuel Sequitin said that based on reports of troops on the ground, the Cateel – Compostela road is currently not passable due to landslides at Sitio Bango, Barangay Nangan in Compostela Valley Province. The Surigao Road, however, is passable as of this time, he said, adding that vehicles have been passing through Surigao del Sur- Davao Oriental Road via Trento, Lingig in order to get to Cateel, Davao Oriental.
Col. Sequitin added that military vehicles with teams from the Disaster Risk Reduction Office were already prepositioned at Sitio Papag, Barangay San Rafael in Cateel town for possible evacuation.
Authorities are also closely monitoring the water level at the Aragon Dam in Cateel. As of 11:15 this evening, water level rose to 19.7 from 19.6 meters an hour ago
As of writing, DRRO conducts an ongoing rescue operation at Sitio Liwan, Barangay Alegria, situated closely to the Aragon Dam.
Personnel from the MDRRMO are keeping an hourly monitoring of the dam since it is still at “warning level”.
Military and police troops and DRRO team are also currently monitoring the situation for possible evacuation in the area and other parts of Cateel and nearby municipalities.
PDRRMC Assistant Head Francis Jason Bendulo and Vice Governor Niño Uy are currently overseeing the 24/7 monitoring and assessment at the Emergency Operations Center. They are joined by personnel from the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Fire Protection, among others who are also coordinating with their counterparts on the ground for monitoring and response.
Food packs and supplies are already on standby at the Operation Center ready to complement available resources in the affected municipalities. Heavy equipment have also been deployed earlier today to the affected areas.
Incident Commander Ednar Dayanghirang said that key personnel will be convened later for initial planning meeting.
The Orange Rainfall Alert is still raised over the province which means which means flooding is threatening in low-lying areas and near river channels and landslides in mountainous areas.
Governor Dayanghirang continues to call on to everyone to take necessary measures and to cooperate with authorities should there be evacuations. Photo Courtesy of PDRRMC Emergency Operation Center
