No casualty, major damage in DavNor

by Noel Baguio/DavNor PIO

Davao del Norte, November 12, 2013 – An initial 360 families in four local government units were affected by flooding caused by intermittent rains brought about by Tropical Depression Zoraida.

However, Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said the typhoon has not wreaked a major damage in the province as its rainbands pounded across most of Mindanao and Visayas.

He said he did not expect major damages, especially to crops and properties since TD Zoraida only brought intermittent rains and negligible winds.

No casualty was also reported by the respective local disaster risk reduction management councils.

Del Rosario said the concerned LGUs have conducted pre-emptive evacuation to ensure the safety of affected families.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (PDRRMC)-Operation Center said some 58 percent of the families affected were evacuated to safety by the concerned LGUs when Zoraida made landfall in Caraga, Davao Oriental at around 9 am Tuesday.

Del Rosario expects the evacuees to start returning to their homes on Wednesday, as soon as the floodwaters subside.

As the affected upstream LGUs began to dry up, the low-lying communities downstream received the bulk of the floodwaters causing some roads to be impassable as of 3 pm in the same day, including the Causwagan-GMAP Road-Matin-ao Road in New Corella; Kinamayan, Sto. Tomas-Tagum City Road; Sagayen-Asuncion Road; and, New Camiling-Carmen Road.

PAGASA lowered TD Zoraida to a low pressure area (LPA) as of 2 pm Tuesday lifting the Storm Warning Signal No. 1 over Davao del Norte and the rest of the provinces in the region

However, the governor directed the incident command center of the province to continue monitoring the situation.

Classes in all levels are also expected to resume in the province by Wednesday.

In Sto. Tomas town, Mayor Benigno Andamon declared a state of calamity after nine barangays were affected by the flooding.

PDRRMC OpCen OIC Eric Rosillo monitors the 6-meter wide water scouring of a road shoulder which threatens to damage the National Highway in Tiburcia, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, at the height of TD Zoraida on Tuesday. noel baguio/davnor pio

PDRRMC OpCen OIC Eric Rosillo monitors the water level of the Saug River as raging waters from upstream continue to increase due to intermittent rains caused by TD Zoraida. noel baguio/davnor pio

Sto. Tomas Mayor Benigno Andamon and PDRRMC OpCen OIC Eric Rosillo monitor the water level at the Menzi Bridge as raging waters from upstream continue to increase due to intermittent rains caused by TD Zoraida. noel baguio/davnor pio

DavNor Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, center, and Vice Gov. Victorio Suaybaguio, Jr., right, monitor the situation on the ground at the PDRRMC-Operation Center, as TD Zoraida has lowered to a low pressure area as of 2 pm Tuesday. noel baguio/davnor pio

Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario directs the incident command center of the province to continue monitoring the situation, as TD Zoraida has lowered into a low pressure area as of 2 pm Tuesday. noel baguio/davnor pio