DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Seven people, consisting of a family in Mati, Davao Oriental and another in Monkayo, Davao de Oro, died after their houses collapsed from separate landslides brought by heavy rain across Davao Region for days.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 11 confirmed on Friday noon that a family of four died in Barangay Central in Mati, while a family of three were killed in Barangay Rizal, Monkayo.
A report by the Bureau of Fire Mati said responders conducted operations early Friday morning at 6 a.m. at Upper Salazar, Brgy. Central to retrieve the bodies. Photos showed that the vicinity in the house was washed away by the landslide as neighboring houses suffered damages.
photos from Bureau of Fire XI Mati page
A family of three, including a father and his two children, were buried by landslide in Barangay Rizal, Monkayo around 11:30 in the evening of February 19. The local government of Monkayo reported that they conducted hours of operation that lasted until morning to retrieve the bodies.
photos from Municipality of Monkayo and Bureau of Fire XI Monkayo pages
Floods and landslides affected most of the provinces in Davao Region, as roads were temporarily impassable and battered some bridges including in Laak.
The heavy rainfall lasted three days brought by the shear line, where the northeast monsoon collided with easterlies.
The OCD reported that the floods affected 10,267 people or 2,410 families in 48 barangays. At least 3,363 people or nearly a thousand families have sought shelters in 42 evacuation centers provided by LGUs and responders in Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte. There are 318 families who have evacuated but are staying outside the evacuation camps.(davaotoday.com)
