Sarangani flood affects 765 families affected; 37 missing

About 37 fishermen are still unaccounted or in Sarangani province, according to a report from the Sarangani Provincial Information based on the 4:00 p.m. June 14 consolidated report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

This brings the total number of fishermen who were rescued or confirmed to have safely returned to shore to 307. Most of them have already returned to their homes.

They were part of the fishermen, mostly from Maasim, who were lost at sea following a storm surge Tuesday dawn.

Search and rescue teams from the Maasim Municipal DRRM, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy as well as local banca operators in the area continue to scour Sarangani Bay and the area surrounding Balut Island for survivors.

The number of casualties from the June 12 flash flood and storm surge remain at two.

Capt. George Ursabia, commander of Coast Guard District South Eastern Mindanao , told the PDRRMO during the incident assessment that three was "no storm" on June 12 but "just sudden change of weather and sea conditions due to the shallow LPA 100 km south of Mindanao at the time that apparently induced the southwest monsoon."

"It was so sudden that the change of sea condition was so abrupt, from calm to rough, with a wind of approximately 40 knots," he said.

The situation began around 1:00 a.m., Tuesday and lasted for more or less 25 hours until early dawn Wednesday.

"Most of the fishermen were out at sea as early as in the evening of 11 June when the sea and weather were normal, not expecting such unusual change (of weather and sea conditions) as there were no signs of such in a progressive manner," he said. They were caught off-guard.

Meanwhile, Glan's Municipal DRRMO also raised yesterday afternoon the total number of families affected by the June 12 flash flood to 765 families with 3,825 dependents.

The number of worst-hit barangays had also been raised to four with the addition of Baragay Laguimit. Initially, the villages of Pangyan, Cross, and Big Margus were identified as the most affected areas. The flood also hit 16 other barangays.

Yesterday morning, Glan Mayor Victor James Yap Sr. led a convoy of medical team, government employees, and trucks loaded with rice for distribution to the affected barangays.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development 12 also released a truckload of family food packs along with UNICEF-donated tarpaulins that could be made into tents and bedsheets.

Yap has also asked the the Government Security and Insurance System to grant all GSIS members in Sarangani financial assistance under the GSIS calamity fund.

In a letter sent to GSIS Manager Maria Cecilia Vega yesterday, the local chief executive cited the tornado and flash floods that struck 20 barangays in the municipality as primary reason of the request. - PIA — ARA