As Agaton subsides, Comval in state of calamity, Dav Nor major rivers swell

By Mart D. Sambalud

Davao Today 

COMPOSTELA, Compostela Valley (Updated)— Compostela Valley province has been declared under state of calamity Tuesday afternoon by virtue of SP Resolution No. 244 series of 2014 as endorsed by its provincial officials in a special session held today.

The towns of New Bataan, Montevista, Monkayo and Compostela have also declared state of calamity earlier today after 2,021 families from 23 barangays have been displaced by Agaton.

Fe Fuestes Maestre, Compostela Valley Information Officer, in an email sent to Davao Today, said that the damage caused by tropical depression Agaton, as of this posting, has reached to P108.6 million  which covers major crops such as rice, corn while on the infrastructure it was pegged at P 23.3 million.

A report obtained by Davao Today revealed the list of barangays and the number of families evacuated, as follows:

In New Bataan: 2 barangays and 76 families; Compostela: 9 barangays and 1, 420 families; Montevista: 2 barangays and 60 families; Mabini: 2 baranagays and 99 families; Maco: 5 barangays and 333 families; Nabunturan: 2 barangays and 14 families; Monkayo: 1 barangay and 19 families respectively.

Meanwhile, Romulo Tagalo, OIC-Davao del Norte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, in a phone interview with Davao Today, said that as of Tuesday morning, major rivers in the province continued to rise despite the dissipation of Agaton due to the discharge of water coming from the upstream part of Asuncion to the downstream areas.

The Saug river in Asuncion town, Davao del Norte province has swelled due to heavy rains dumped by Agaton, causing residents in Brgy. Pagsabangan to evacuate as waist-deep water submerged the entire poblacion areas.

The deluge remained until Tuesday morning which caused cancellation of classes at Asuncion National High School and Buclad Elementary School.

Tagalo said that a total of 652 families or 3, 218 individuals have been affected by Agaton in the province.

Based on the progress report obtained by Davao Today as of Tuesday, a total of six barangays in Asuncion have been submerged brought by Agaton.

These are barangays Cambagonoy, Sta. Felomina, Canatan, Sagayen, San Miguel and Asuncion. (davaotoday.com)