Sarangani town orders forced evacuation on riverbank dwellers

INQUIRER FILES KORONADAL CITY — The local government of Glan, Sarangani ordered Thursday the forced evacuation of residents living along Riverside, Barangay Poblacion, as the river continued to swell, raising fears of flooding and riverbank erosion.Glan Vice Mayor James Yap Jr., who personally inspected the area, led the evacuation after authorities found that the situation had become too dangerous.Yap said water levels could continue to rise, putting more houses in danger, as rains poured in various parts of the Soccsksargen region. READ: Sarangani resumes regular gov’t work, classes after major quake During the inspection, he saw several coconut trees toppled after floodwaters reached the riverbank. Some homes were nearly hit by the rising water, prompting local officials to move residents to safety immediately.The evacuation was carried out with the help of the Barangay and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).The MDRRMO said evacuated residents would stay temporarily at the evacuation gym in Poblacion while authorities assess the situation in their community.Initial estimates from the MDRRMO showed that at least 30 families live in Riverside.Many of the affected families had only recently returned to their homes after being displaced by the powerful earthquake last month. Article continues after this advertisement They were forced to leave again, this time because of the threat of flooding and possible riverbank collapse.The MDRRMO and the local government continue to monitor other barangays in Glan as heavy rains persist and water levels in rivers and creeks begin to swell. According to the 11 a.m. weather advisory of the PAGASA Mindanao PRSD, the rains affecting the area this morning were due to the southwest monsoon or habagat./coa Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.