By: Chris Panganiban
BUTUAN CITY – The number of flood victims here has surged to 6,212 families, comprising 22,818 individuals across 23 barangays, as reported by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) on Monday.
Among the affected families, the CSWDO noted that 5,910 families, totaling 21,910 persons, have received food aid, particularly those housed in evacuation centers.
“Approximately PHP4.2 million worth of food aid has been distributed to the affected families,” it stated.
Of the total aid value, PHP3.8 million originated from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Caraga Region, PHP300,625 from the city government, and PHP21,500 from other supporting groups.
The flooding, caused by the swelling of the Agusan River, necessitated the evacuation of residents by the city government last week.
The intense rains, attributed to the shear line and the trough of the low-pressure area, resulted in flooding and the augmentation of river systems in Agusan del Sur.
The Agusan River acts as the drainage basin for the inundated river systems in the province.
As of Sunday afternoon, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in Butuan City reported that the water level at the Agusan River had subsided to 2.5 meters, categorized as an Orange Warning or preemptive evacuation level, down from 3 meters the previous week.
“The office is collaborating with relevant authorities in assessing the affected barangays to ascertain the safety of residents intending to return home,” the CSWDO affirmed.
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