MINDANAO DAILY TRUTH | JUSTICE | PROGRESS
Volume XI, No. 093
www.mindanaodailynews.com
Fri-Sat, December 17-18, 2021
P15.00
Infra destroyed, thousands evacuated due to floods By GERRY LEE GORIT, Correspondent
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – As Typhoon Odette arrived in Mindanao on Thursday, infrastructures such as small bridges and crops were destroyed as residents fled their communities while floodwaters rampaged many parts of Mindanao. In Cagayan de Oro, for instance, 2,402 families have evacuated, according to the City Social Welfare and Development in a press briefing yesterday. Many of those who evacuated reside along or near Cagayan de Oro coastal areas. As Odette made landfall, Mayor Oscar Moreno has ordered the suspension of the following: face-to-face classes, work in all city government offices, and Covid-19 vaccination operations, but vital operations and essential service will however continue. Suspension of work in the private sector, he added, will be up to the sound Rescue teams from the Phil. Coast Guard and CDRRMO fetch and retrieve standed residents living along the Bitan- discretion of the business ag Creek in Cagayan de Oro where some areas are flooded due to Typhoon Odette. photo by gerry lee gorit owners and management,
“but the latter is reminded to ensure the welfare and safety of the workers.” The regional disaster risk reduction and management council said all vessels and water crafts plying within the areas of Western Misamis Oriental are suspended until further notice, while flights via Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific are all cancelled. For its part, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-10 said it has prepared its standby funds and stockpile assistance consisting of family food packs valuing P80.6 million for utilization, while the health department has prepared its medicines and personnel support for rollout.
Thousands evacuate as RDRRMC-10: All hands on ‘Odette’ batters Caraga deck for Typhoon Odette By ALEXANDER LOPEZ
BUTUAN CITY – Thousands of residents from the different provinces in the Caraga region fled their homes as Typhoon Odette pummeled the area with strong winds and heavy rains on Thursday. The typhoon made its first landfall at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte. In Butuan City, a total of 29 barangays were directly affected by flooding as intermittent rains dampen most parts of the city. Michiko De Jesus of the city’s information office said 2,090 families with 7,113 individuals already evacuated from their homes as of 4 p.m. Thursday. “Evacuation and rescue operations are still ongoing as flooding continues to affect our barangays. The number of evacuees is expected to increase,” De Jesus told the Philippine News Agency. She also reported that the water level of the Agusan River, the biggest tributary
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC)-10 alongside its partners are now fortifying its disaster preparedness as Typhoon Odette continues to ravage areas in the northern Mindanao with maximum sustained winds at 165 km/h and heavy rainfall. As of 3:00 p.m., December 16, 2021, a total of 292 families or 1,360 individuals ODETTE’S ONSLAUGHT. Members of a rescue team help are affected in the region. a senior citizen during the evacuation in Tubay, Agusan del Norte on Thursday (Dec. 16, 2021). Thousands of residents in the Caraga Region fled their homes as Typhoon Odette made its first landfall Thursday afternoon in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. (Photo courtesy of BFP Tubay)
in the city has reached a warning level. “The water level at Agusan River is already 1.40 meters. All the major rivers in Agusan del Sur end up here in the Agusan River. The danger level is at 2.0 meters,” De Jesus said. She added that the city government is evacuating residents in barangays near the Agusan River. “Odette” also caused power and water interruptions in the city.
In Agusan del Norte, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMC) said around 560 families or 2,106 individuals were evacuated as “Odette” caused flooding in the different towns in the province. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the PDRRMO said it is still expecting reports on the continuing evacuations being conducted in towns. So far, the evacuated families were from the towns of See EVACUATE, page 11
All vessels and water crafts plying within the areas of Western Misamis Oriental are suspended until further notice, while flights via Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific are all canceled, December 16 at 1:40 p.m. The RDRRMC-10 is implementing its DRRM plan to limit casualties and damages from the typhoon, spearheaded by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-10. Agencies are now rolling out their services and interventions across affected areas. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-10 has now prepared its standby funds and stockpile assistance valuing P80,618,312.53 for utilization, while the Department of Health (DOH)-10 has prepared its medicines and personnel support for rollout. In terms of security and manpower, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the region have personnel on standby and ready for The Department of Social Welfare and Development deployment in their base (DSWD)-10 monitors typhoon-affected areas in northern Mindanao and prepares standby funds and stockpile as- of operations, while the A total of 42 families or 210 persons in Cagayan de Oro City have been preemptively evacuated with the bulk coming from Barangay Macasandig. The towns of Misamis Oriental also preemptively evacuated 218 families or 992 persons as the province experienced landslides and flooding. Bukidnon also evacuated 2 families or 10 persons, while Lanao del Norte evacuated 30 families or 148 persons.
sistance valuing P80,618,312.53 for utilization. (DSWD-10)
See ODETTE, page 11