Tropical Storm ‘Basyang’ leaves nearly 391,000 affected, 3 dead across Caraga
BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 7 February) – Tropical Storm “Basyang” (Penha) left thousands of residents affected and three people dead as it battered the Caraga region, triggering widespread flooding and displacement, authorities said.
According to the 4:00 a.m. report on February 7 from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Caraga, a total of 390,966 individuals from 110,926 families across 525 barangays were affected.
The council also reported three casualties, including two confirmed deaths in Carmen, Agusan del Norte, and Cortes, Surigao del Sur, and an additional case in Carmen, Surigao del Sur that remains under verification.
Thousands remain displaced, with 20,830 individuals or 5,905 families staying inside evacuation centers and outside evacuation sites as of 4:00 a.m. on February 7.
This is a sharp decline from 56,085 individuals or 16,192 families who were in 324 evacuation centers and other temporary shelters as of 4:00 p.m. on February 6.
According to the Office of Civil Defense Caraga, the reduction was due to families returning home after flood waters receded.
Based on the report of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Tropical Storm Basyang made landfall over Bayabas, Surigao del Sur at 11:50 p.m. on February 5, bringing heavy rains and strong winds that triggered widespread flooding and landslides across the region.
Early on February 5, the entire Caraga region, except Dinagat Islands, was placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2, which brought torrential rains that inundated communities.
Junelyn Alibo Pagaran, a resident of Purok Kahayag, Barangay Quezon, Tandag City in Surigao del Sur, shared her traumatic experience with MindaNews via Messenger.
“The water started entering around 9:00 p.m. on February 5. We’re used to flooding in this area, so we were complacent, thinking it would just be the usual. But the water rose so quickly that many of our belongings got wet and were swept away. That was the worst flooding we’ve ever experienced,” Pagaran recounted.
She described the terror of watching the water rise to within inches of their second floor.
“I was crying, thinking about where to move our things and what we would do, especially with my elderly parents, my sister, and my nephew with us. Many people called for rescue. We wanted to be rescued too, but the current was so strong that rescuers couldn’t get through.”
Pagaran added that the rain eventually stopped, the water level did not rise further, and floodwaters receded around 6:00 to 7:00 a.m., leaving behind thick mud.
“Our situation now is difficult because there’s no water for cleaning. We lost many belongings, but that’s okay. What’s important is that my family is safe,” she said.
RDRRMC Caraga reported that Basyang damaged a total of 445 houses across the region. Of these, 407 were partially damaged, with the majority (361 houses) reported in Surigao del Sur, where the storm made landfall. Meanwhile, 38 houses were totally damaged, 27 of which were also in Surigao del Sur.
All 54 barangays in Caraga that were flooded have fully subsided as of 4:00 a.m. on February 7.
RDRRMC Caraga emphasized that damage assessments are still ongoing and that data may be updated as more information becomes available.
As of 5:00 a.m. on February 7, PAGASA reported that Basyang had weakened into a Low Pressure Area while moving westward over the Sulu Sea, approximately 105 kilometers southeast of Cuyo, Palawan.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development Caraga reported that it had distributed a total of ₱15,921,041 worth of assistance, including 26,367 family food packs, as of 4:00 a.m. on February 7. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao/MindaNews)
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