Bukidnon floods kill 1 displace many

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 22 June)—Heavy rains spawned by an Intertropical Convergence Zone flooded several areas in Malaybalay City, Valencia City, and Lantapan town in Bukidnon on Wednesday night, damaging some houses, displacing at least 189 families or 613 individuals, and killing one, reports said.

_{The areas affected by the heavy rains in Bukidnon on Wednesday (21 June 2023): Malaybalay, Valencia and Lantapan. Map courtesy of Google.}

The displaced families, who sought refuge at their respective barangay covered courts, came from Barangays Violeta, San Jose, Linabo, Simaya, and Sinanglanan in Malaybalay City, according to a report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division (PDRRMD).

But photos and videos shared online showed that the flooding also hit Barangays Cabangahan, Laguitas, Managok, Aglayan, and Bancud in Malaybalay.

Videos shared online showed that raging floodwaters in Aglayan rendered the highway impassable by vehicles. The barangay links Malaybalay to Lantapan and Talakag towns.

The rains triggered a mudslide in Sitio Langasihan in Managok that rendered the road impassable on Wednesday night.

But as of 9:00 a.m. Thursday, the Department of Public Works and Highways 1st District Engineering Office-Bukidnon issued an advisory that one lane of Junction Sayre Highway Aglayan-Zamboanguita Road in Langasihan was already passable.

“The public is advised to take extreme precaution while traversing the affected road section due to slippery road and falling debris induced by the unstable slope and continuous heavy rainfall,” the advisory said.

Meanwhile, PrimeWater, which now operates the Malaybalay City Water District, on Thursday said its water supply lines were affected by the floods in Laguitas.

“Water distribution will resume as soon as the repair is done and water supply has reached our reservoirs,” it said.

In neighboring Valencia City, the PDRRMD reported that floods hit Barangays Lurugan, San Carlos, Bagontaas, Sugod, Mailag, Colonia, Catumbalon, Maapag, Sinayawan, Poblacion and Batangan.

In Lantapan, only Barangay Songco was hit by flooding.

It was in Lantapan where a fatality was reported—identified as Bryan Ando—but there was no mention as to the circumstances of his death. His body was reportedly retrieved at Subsub in Barangay Bugcaon.

There were no reports of evacuation in Valencia and Lantapan.

A video shared by a netizen showed motorists lining the road from Barangay Laligan to Barangay Concepcion in Valencia while a backhoe was clearing the debris from a mudslide.

Netizens posted photos of the flood in their barangays with pleas for relief goods like rice and water. Some asked for materials for the damaged houses. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno, with reports / MindaNews)

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