FLOODED ROAD. A portion of the highway in upland Barangay Paril, Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat (left), literally turns into a river due to flash floods on Tuesday afternoon. In Talayan, Maguindanao, motorists got stranded when the Tambunan River overflowed and submerged parts of the provincial road as of Wednesday (April 27, 2022). (Photos courtesy of Sukelco and Ryan Eskak)
COTABATO CITY – Heavy rains affecting Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao provinces overnight triggered floods in low-lying areas and power interruption, reports from local disaster management offices said Wednesday.
In Maguindanao, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRRMC) said residents of Barangay Tambunan in Talayan town stayed up all night as floodwater submerged many residential areas in Talayan and Guindulungan town.
Esmael Eskak, a village resident, said he was awakened by rising water that entered his home at past 2 a.m. Wednesday.
“We have experienced continuous rain the past six hours, suddenly we were underwater,” Eskak said in a Facebook post.
“Floods plus power outages make life difficult for us as we observe fasting month,” he added.
Also in Maguindanao, commuters in Talayan town were stranded as floodwater overflowed from the Tambunan River from 3 a.m. until 7 a.m. Wednesday.
No fatalities were reported so far, according to the PDRRMC.
In a statement Wednesday, Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu said PDRRMC personnel are still in the field gathering data on the extent of damage to properties, infrastructure, and crops.
“While assessment and evaluation are ongoing, provincial relief workers distributed goods and food packs to some 1,000 families in Barangay Saniag, Ampatuan town, one of the flash-flood affected towns,” Mangudadatu said.
In Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat, floods hit the upland part of Barangay Paril that turned its main road into a river-like passage, particularly in Sitio Babangkaw, according to linemen and field workers of Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative (Sukelco).
Sukelco said power lines were toppled at the borders of Kalamansig and Palimbang due to strong winds and heavy downpours.
The Sultan Kudarat provincial disaster management office said its assessment on damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and properties is still ongoing. (PNA)
