COTABATO CITY , Philippines – A state of calamity was declared in this city on Tuesday due to floods spawned by torrential rains for three weeks now.
Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi thanked the city council for the declaration, saying it would enable her office to utilize funds for relief operations and rehabilitation of affected areas.
At least 25 of the 37 barangays in the city remained flooded as rivers overflowed due to heavy rains.
The mayor’s office distributed food to around 90,000 affected residents.
Local officials called on the Mindanao Development Authority to address the perennial problem of flooding here and in nearby towns.
Rivers and swamps that connect to the 220,000-hectare Liguasan Delta usually overflow during heavy rains, inundating residential areas.