Floods, landslides, dead livestock reported amid Auring onslaught

Tropical Depression Auring caused floods, landslides, and the deaths of some farm animals in Surigao del Sur, officials said on Monday.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Vichie Bandoy of the Tandag City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said that even areas that were not considered prone to hazards were hit by flooding.

“Meron naman talaga kaming flooded area talaga. Kaso nga lang 'yung hindi flooded area, bumaha talaga lampas tao kahapon,” she said.

“Siguro kasi since December, January palagi kasing umuulan dito dahil La Niña tayo ngayon kaya siguro hindi na kinaya ng mga puno sa bukid,” she added.

Due to this, Bandoy said some residents were not included in the preemptive evacuations as they thought they were safe from floods.

When Auring brought rains to the city, they were shocked by how fast the water rose even in areas with low flooding risk.

“'Yung hindi naman bahain, 'yun 'yung na-rescue kahapon kasi hindi nila inaasahan na...biglaan kasi ang bilis ng tubig e hanggang lampas tao na agad,” she said.

“Yung mga central barangays na hindi naman bahain, ayun nga, lampas tao. Kaya ‘yung mga taong nandoon nas-shock sila. So ‘yun ang nare-rescue,” she added.

Surigao del Sur Governor Alexander "Ayec" Pimentel said that even some evacuation centers in the city were hit by floods. This led to evacuees being transferred to the provincial capitol buildings.

“Yung ibang evacuation center natin dito sa Tandag inabutan ng baha kaya 'yung iba nasa opisina ko sa Capitol, yung iba nasa legislative building,” he said in an interview with GMA Regional TV that was posted on his Facebook page.

Bandoy also said that two landslides occurred in Barangays Mabuhay and Maitum in Tandag City.

Due to the unexpected floods, she added that many farm animals were not rescued and died.

“May mga namatay na livestock , kalabaw, baka, manok, lahat 'yung kasi yung baha biglaan hindi na nalikas yung iba,” she added.

Based on NDRRMC’s situation report on Monday, the Department of Agriculture is closely monitoring the crops that would be affected by Auring. — DVM, GMA News