LPA leaves 7 dead, 2 towns under state of calamity in Misamis Oriental

Four more people have been reported killed while more than 7,000 were evacuated due to floods caused by a downpour brought on by a low pressure area (LPA) in Misamis Oriental on Monday.

The Misamis Oriental Public Information Office reported that Gov. Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano identified the four latest fatalities as CJ Lapuz, 7, of Barangay Mahayahay, Magsaysay town; Kian Monticeno, 10, of Barangay Awang, Opol; Nilo Quiloman, 54, of Purok 8, Barangay Santiago, Gingoog City; and Jaime Castillo, 3, of Barangay Agay-ayan also of Gingoog City.

This brings the total reported killed due to floods in the province to seven.

On Tuesday, local officials confirmed three fatalities due to flooding in the province's capital Cagayan de Oro City.

The towns of Lugait and Lagonglong, meanwhile, were placed under a state of calamity. Local officials in the two towns are hoping that rehabilitation will be immediately implemented in the affected barangays.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Fernando Dy, Jr. also reported that more than 7,000 people from 12 of the province’s 22 towns and two cities were evacuated due to flooding.

Local officials said that about 80 percent of the evacuees have returned to their homes on Tuesday.

“We did not know what to expect but we were prepared for the worst,” Gov. Emano was reported as saying.

“I credit the high level of awareness of our residents; this is why we have relatively few casualties,” he added.

The PDRRMO is still awaiting complete and verified report on the weather disturbance's damage to agriculture and infrastructure. —BAP/ALG, GMA News