by Ben Serrano

     February 2, 2011

            BUTUAN CITY (PNA) - Surigao del Norte Provincial Board upon recommendation of the Surigao del Norte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chaired by Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Folcadilla Matugas has declared the entire province under state of calamity, Surigao del Norte Media Bureau officer Jun Parada said. 

            On the other hand, Surigao del Norte Vice Governor Carlos Egay, Jr. revealed that the declaration was made yesterday after they received recommendation by the PDRRMC.

The Surigao del Norte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council had evaluated calamity reports from all twenty municipalities of the province and after assessing damages to infrastructure and agriculture and how to cope up with the adverse effect brought about by the continuous rains for the past three days due presence of low pressure area It recommended declaration of the state of calamity.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Matugas confirmed to this writer the declaration through mobile phone interview.

He said his congressional staff and personnel already started distribution of about 1,000 sacks of rice and 100 boxes of canned goods to affected areas in the province.

The Office of the Civil Defense Caraga regional office officially reported that about 235 barangays in the province of Surigao del Norte alone with about 20,137 families and around         103,121 individuals were affected by landslide and flash floods. 

The calamity that hit Surigao del Norte to date resulted to one missing identified as Amado Basadre, 37, farmer and resident of San Francisco, Surigao del Norte. Basadre was reportedly swept by strong current of river he crossed. 

The Philippine National Police in Surigao City, BFP, 30th IB-Philippine Army Recruits, Quick Action Response Team (QART) and members of Brgy. Council of Washington conducted forced evacuation to 354 families of Sitio Pagasa and Sitio Bonotan of Brgy. Washington and brought to identified evacuation centers.

PDRRMC Surigao del Norte dispatched Medical Teams and the Five Clusters to their respective areas of concern.

The Philippine National Police Caraga regional office has sent twenty one patrol cars; one Bachelor bus; one unit 6x6 police troop carrier and designated one BFP truck; ropes,  three dump trucks the other day to help search, rescue, evacuation and relief operations efforts in the province. 

Caraga Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Reynaldo S. Rafal told PNA in an interview that he already instructed all PNP personnel in Surigao del Norte towns to help rescue, evacuation including relief goods distribution efforts of the provincial government.

Rafal has also started collecting donations from both private and public donors to be distributed to the victims of the calamity that struck Surigao del Norte to date.

“Hopefully I will personally lead the relief goods distributions with my cops as soon as all relief goods are consolidated” Rafal said.

OCD Caraga regional director Dr. Blanche Gobenciong told PNA the calamity that struck is the third time for Caraga region at the beginning of this year alone.

Caraga region is composed of five provinces, namely Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur; Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur and the Dinagat Islands. (PNA/Ben Serrano)