Ma and daughter missing in Bukidnon as heavy rains trigger landslides and floods

CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 14 July) — Days of heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon caused landslides and heavy flooding in Bukidnon leaving three persons missing, including a mother and her daughter who were last seen swept away by strong currents on July 12.

Arnel Sagandilan, team leader of the Maramag Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office said their rescuers are still scouring the banks of Pulangi River for Evelyn Candido, 48 and her 12-year-old daughter who were crossing a small river in Barangay Dagumbaan in Maramag town.

“We have scoured the small river and we think they were carried to the bigger Pulangi River. We presume they are dead already by this time,” Sagandilan told MindaNews by phone.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region 10 said one person was also reported missing in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon. The missing person was not named.

The Bukidnon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management in its report on July 13, 2024,said 2,329 families or 8,894 persons from the two cities of Valencia and Malaybalay and Kalilangan, Maramag and San Fernando towns have sought shelter in evacuation centers.

OCD 10 spokesperson Marie Abigail Galvez said many of the families returned to their houses on July 14 but 450 families or 1,607 persons remain in the evacuation center,  taking no chances as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has forecasted more rain in the next few days.

An estimated 133 farmers lost  some P14.67 million worth of crops after 141 hectares of rice they planted in Kalilangan town was destroyed by the heavy rains, according to the Bukidnon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management report.

Engineering teams are working overtime to clear the highways after several landslides were reported in the towns of Pagantucan, Kalilangan, Kadingilan, Kibawe and San Fernando. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)