UNDER WATER. Caught in a catch basin, several Maguindanao villages are now under water after typhoon "Pablo." Photo by Ferdh Cabrera

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - At least 20 villages in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao were submerged on Tuesday night, December 4, after a huge volume of rainwater coming from upstream areas and the Rio Grande river brought by typhoon "Pablo" converged in the area.

Some families started leaving their homes around 8 pm when they felt the fast rising of the water level.

Joy, a teenager from the barangay Salimbao, was seen with her backpack and cuddling her pet dog while crossing the strong current of floodwater.

“We will stay in our muliticab for the whole night until the water will calm down,” she said.

About 35 families have sought shelter at the municipal hall while rest have stayed in their houses despite the rising water level.

Mayor Tucao Mastura said an emergency response team composed of local officials along with army personnel and rescue members is prepared for any eventualities at night.

“We were monitoring since afternoon, we assumed this volume of water will come and had earlier alerted our people”, Mastura said.

The town is a catch basin of waters coming from the North Cotabato and Maguindanao mountains, plus the volume of water generated from the liguasan marsh that drifted through the Rio Grande river.

No casualty was reported but the local government remains cautious. - Rappler.com