By Sam Ramos
Heavy rains caused by the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) claimed one life, injured 20 people, and left two individuals missing in Davao Occidental province, the Office of the Civil Defense in Davao Region (OCD-11) reported Tuesday night.
The ITCZ-triggered rains began on December 26, causing widespread flooding and landslides across several municipalities in Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. According to OCD-11, the severe weather has affected 6,476 families or 28,686 individuals in the region.
In Davao Occidental, 321 houses were partially damaged, and 238 were completely destroyed. One road section and three bridges in the province remain impassable. Damage to infrastructure has been estimated at PHP215 million, with 21 affected sites in Davao Occidental and two in Davao del Norte.
The municipality of Malita in Davao Occidental has been placed under a state of calamity due to the extent of the damage.
On December 30, OCD-11, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways-11, delivered an initial 1,107 hygiene kits worth PHP941,582 to Malita. The kits were handed over to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office for distribution to affected families and individuals.
“The OCD-11 continues to monitor developments and is preparing additional relief items and resources to support local government units in responding to the needs of affected communities,” the agency said in a statement.