Misamis Oriental under state of calamity

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – The provincial government declared Misamis Oriental under a state of calamity on Thursday night, January 19, following massive flooding and pocket landslides caused by heavy rains this week.

Fernando Dy, chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said on Friday, January 20, that the province suffered extensive damage to infrastructure, agricultural losses, and damage to private property because of the flooding and landslides.

Dy said that as of Friday, infrastructure damage in the province was at P103 million, while agricultural damage was at P13 million. These figures may rise as more reports come in, he added.

“We are are getting updates twice a day, so there could be more,” he said.

Dy said that 2,573 families or 11,852 people have been displaced across the province.

Dexter Yasay of the Provincial Information Office said that 4 people died and 3 people are missing following heavy rains in the province.

Yasay said that provincial health officials are already distributing doxycycline to prevent the outbreak of leptospirosis. – Rappler.com