Army on alert vs. floods in Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 26): Army on alert vs. floods in Mindanao

All military units under the 6th Infantry "Kampilan" Division were placed on heightened alert on Sunday, not against lawless elements, but against possible floods that could submerge communities under its jurisdiction.

This after a low pressure area (LPA) across Mindanao triggered massive downpour the past three days.

In fact, some low-lying communities in Maguindanao have been under knee-deep floods after the water level of Allah River in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat slightly increased.

The water from Allah River ended up in the Liguasan marshland which led to the flooding of Sultan sa Barongis town in Maguindanao and Lambayong in Sultan Kudarat on Friday.

Capt. Joan Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, has directed all brigade and battalion commanders in the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato to monitor the rivers and waterways in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

At least 30 rivers and tributaries crisscross the adjoining provinces and end up along Rio Grande de Mindanao before reaching the Moro Gulf.

“This is part of our calamity protection program,” Petinglay said.

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RDRRMC-ARMM) reported that flood waters have submerged low-lying areas of Pikit, Midsayap and Aleosan in North Cotabato and the towns of Sultan sa Barongis, Northern Kabuntalan, Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak, Datu Piang, Datu Hofer and Kabuntalan Mother in Maguindanao.

Also on Sunday, Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the ARMM said the Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team (HEART) has also been monitoring the situation in flood-prone areas in Maguindanao.

The were no reported casualties in the flooded areas.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=898861