Torrential rains brought by the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) triggered widespread flooding in three towns of Maguindanao del Sur over the weekend, forcing more than 30,000 residents to flee their homes.
According to the Office of Civil Defense in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OCD-BARMM), some 6,023 households—roughly 30,115 individuals—were affected in the municipalities of Datu Abdullah Sangki, Shariff Aguak, and Datu Saudi Ampatuan.
Also inundated was the town of Datu Salibo, which acts as a catch basin for floodwaters from South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. All 17 villages of the town were submerged, though the number of affected residents has yet to be determined.
Many of the flooded areas are located in or near the Liguasan marshland and are prone to recurrent inundation, said OCD-BARMM Regional Director Joel Mamon.
On Saturday, Mamon joined an aerial assessment with the Philippine Air Force’s Tactical Operations Group 12, led by Col. Caezar Pascua, and the 6th Infantry Division’s public affairs office to evaluate the extent of the disaster.
In addition to the mass displacement, infrastructure damage was reported, including the destruction of a bridge in Barangay Bagumbong, Mamasapano. The bridge was a critical route for local transportation and access.
Floodwaters also swamped farmlands in Datu Abdullah Sangki, damaging hectares of corn, rice, peanuts, and other crops. The Department of Agriculture is still assessing the extent of agricultural losses, while the OCD-BARMM continues to validate affected populations and infrastructure damage.
In Sarangani province, flash floods prompted the evacuation of families in Barangay Baluntay, Alabel town, on Sunday night after heavy rains linked to the ITCZ. Local disaster response teams, along with barangay officials and volunteers, carried out evacuation operations.
No casualties were reported, but residents in flood-prone areas were advised to stay alert and prepare for possible further evacuations.