AT LEAST three persons died and around 4,500 families in Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro were affected by flash floods and landslides brought by tropical depression ‘Urduja’.

In Cagayan de Oro, a four-month-old infant died early in the morning when the ambulance carrying the sick baby got stuck in the flood-prone highway along the Mindanao University for Science and Technology (MUST).

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Parents said the baby, who was rushed from Bukidnon to seek emergency treatment, had run out of oxygen as the ambulance’s passengers scurried away from the trapped vehicle.

As of 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) recorded four fishermen missing, 10 persons injured and listed the total number of affected persons at more than 10,000.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the city counted around 1,500 families from 20 flooded barangays.

The flooded villages are: Downtown Barangays 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28; Barangays Baikingon, Balubal, Balulang, Bugo, Bulua, Carmen, Indahag, Iponan, Lapasan, and Macasandig.

Landslides were reported in Barangay Baikingon, Balubal and Canitoan, where a house was destroyed although the occupants—a family of four—were declared safe.

In Misamis Oriental, the PDCC recorded 220 houses that were totally damaged by flashflood and landslide while 29 houses were partially damaged.

Among the areas that were hit by flashflood and landslides include Gingoog City and the municipalities of Opol, Alubijid, Tagoloan, Villanueva, Jasaan, Balingasag, Balingoan, Magsaysay, Lagonglong, Salay, Binuangan, El Salvador and Manticao. Two of the reported deaths are children who were covered by mud due to landslide in Jasaan town.

In Barangay Hermano, Balingasag, at least 32 houses were wiped out by flashflood and boulders, which blocked about one kilometer of the road, leaving it impassable since 9:00 o’clock Tuesday evening until 3:00 o’clock Wednesday afternoon.

A container van full of banana was stranded in one lane of the road when it was hit by falling mud from the hilly portion of the road.

Ederlina Enriquez, a resident in the area, said there was a sudden gush of water with rocks flowing from the hill.

“We were afraid because of the sudden gush of water. It was the first time that we experienced like this. It’s just fortunate that it’s low tide or else, we would be totally wiped out by water coming from the hill and from the sea,” Enriquez said in the dialect.

Enriquez is just one among 500 families affected by flashflood and landslide in Barangay Hermano. Some affected families are now staying at the barangay hall.

Shirley Ardenio, who just gave birth on Nov. 19, said she can’t explain her fear as she cuddled her newborn baby boy wrapped in a plastic cellophane and braved the heavy rain as she, her husband and two other children, fled from the flowing water and falling rocks. Their house was among those that were hit by boulders.

Engineer Virgie Nayve, maintenance engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said they would be working 24 hours to clear the road from Sitio Punta-Gurda to Hermano proper.

“We will be here until the road will be thoroughly passable,” Nayve said, who personally oversees the clearing operations. As of 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, some portions of the road are already cleared while only one lane was open for vehicles in other portions of the road.

Personnel from the DPWH, the provincial government and private company Hanjin Heavy Industries Inc. jointly conducted the clearing operations in Balingasag while members of the Philippine Army assigned in the municipality of Claveria were around to help man the traffic.

In Magsaysay, 25 fish cages of bangus were damaged, which translates to P700,000 supposed profit for each cage.

Misamis Oriental governor Oscar Moreno said the roads in the areas affected are already passable as of 3:00 o’clock Wednesday afternoon.

“But there is still a need for thorough clearing operations in some areas,” Moreno said.

Teddy Sabuga-a Jr., PDCC executive officer, said what is happening in the province now is connected to the government’s campaign on climate change.

“That is why we have to plant trees. The local government units should mainstream the Disaster Reduction Program to protect their residents,” Sabuga-a said. He said disasters cannot be avoided but the LGUs should target “zero-casualty.” With reports from DVAIII