COTABATO CITY—Relief workers were trying Tuesday to reach two upland communities of a town in Sultan Kudarat whose 2,000 residents were isolated by flashfloods and landslides following Sunday’s heavy downpour, officials said.
“They are trapped, they could not go down due to landslides and knee-deep mud,” said Mayor Ronan Garcia of Kalamansig.
“We tried to reach the upland villages but we could not get through,” Garcia said.
She said it was impossible to reach Barangays Sabanal and Datu Wasay because the roads in Barangay Hinalaan have turned into rivers of knee-high mud.
“To reach those two villages, we need to hurdle Barangay Hinalaan which is impossible at this time,” Garcia said, adding “even by horse our relief workers could not reach Barangay Hinalaan proper.”
“People from Sabanal and Datu Wasay went down to meet us halfway so they can carry food and water back to their homes,” he added. “Only males are capable of walking six kilometers of mud to reach the lowland area, women and elders remained in their homes, waiting for food.”
Garcia was teary-eyed as he recounted the stories of the flashflood survivors.
The heavy overnight downpour also caused the Limulan River to overflow and submerge five villages downstream.
Garcia cold not provide estimates of the agricultural damage from the calamity, which destroyed 35 homes and a bridge in nearby Lebak town, also in Sultan Kudarat.
“About 11 landslides blocked roads leading to the two upland barangays, these communities have been isolated since Sunday,” Garcia said.
Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr, 6th Infantry Division commander, has directed the Philippine Air Force to provide assistance so food and water can reach the isolated villages.