COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Floodwater from rivers straddling this city has spread to four more barangays in the past three days, officials said yesterday.
Reports from the city disaster risk reduction and management council said 24 of the city’s 37 barangays are now flooded due to the continuous swelling of the rivers and heavy downpours since last week.
As of Saturday, 18,684 families or 91,537 individuals were affected by the floods, according to city information officer Halima Satol-Ibrahim.
Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi and the provincial council may place the city under a state of calamity should the flooding persist.
“Forced evacuation will be imposed if the situation so requires,” Sayadi said, adding she and the local education officials are planning to hold special classes for students whose schools are flooded.
Ten of the city’s schools are in flood-stricken villages.
Health workers have been deployed to assist the residents.