Flood-related incidents kill 5 in Davao del Norte

THE Provincial Local Government of Davao del Norte (PLGU-Davao del Norte) has confirmed that at least five individuals were killed in a separate landslide and flood-related incidents in the municipality of Kapalong earlier this week.

Of the fatalities, four are members of one family who were reportedly sleeping while the tragedy happened on Saturday night, February 1, 2024. They have now been retrieved by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Kapalong (MDRRMC-Kapalong) alongside personnel of Kapalong Rescue Emergency Services (Kares), Bureau of Fire Protection-Kapalong (BFP-Kapalong) and officials of Barangay Gupitan.

Their intensive search and rescue operation in the area started on Friday morning of February 2 and successfully ended on the afternoon of the same date.

The fatalities were identified as Julius Loon, 45; Josie Loon, 48; Jeannifer Loon, 14, and Jamaica Loon, 11. All were residents of Sitio Awod in Barangay Gupitan.

As of press writing, the local government unit of Kapalong (LGU-Kapalong) is assisting the wake of the victims while their bodies are currently at funeral homes.

On the other hand, the MDDRMC-Kapalong also recorded a dead body retrieved on February 4.

During the search and retrieval operation, the victim, identified as Castillo Adot (no age indicated by the LGU) was found at Purok 1 Florida, a few meters away from the collapsed hanging bridge at Purok 2 Taguango, Barangay Sua-on, after he was reported missing.

In an investigation, more than 35 individuals were involved in the incident and several people were injured.

Prior to the incident, the barangay captain of Sua-on has already warned the constituents to avoid using the bridge when traveling and transporting goods and services as its foundation is weak.

The continuous rain brought by the trough of LPA has caused floods and landslides mostly in the provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao City.

However, according to the Office of Civil Defense-Davao Region (OCD-Davao) Regional Director Ednar G. Dayanghirang, Davao del Norte has the most number of individuals and families affected with over 32,000 families as of press writing. DEF

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