Newly born child dies in Pikit flood

KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/17 Sep) -- A newly born infant died when the waters in their village near the Liguasan Marsh rose Monday night, belated reports said.

Senior Insp. Elias Dandan, Pikit municipal police chief, said the girl’s family was forced to evacuate the place, but her young fragile body could not withstand the floods.

“Her family was forced to vacate the place when the waters ran high. Because of the lack of transportation, the baby was not able to reach the hospital. She died while fleeing the floods,” he said.

Aside from the infant’s family, 700 other families from Barangay Paidu Pulangi left the village on Monday, seeking refuge on higher grounds as the waters of the Rio Grande de Mindanao overflowed due to torrential rains.


The Pikit municipal agriculture office reported that the floods that hit the town since Saturday already damaged P28-million worth of agricultural crops and affected 3,423 farmers in 11 villages.

The town’s rice and corn fields in the villages of Inug-ug, Talitay, Rajamuda, Bagoinged, Buliok, Barongis, Bulol, Bulod, Kabasalan, Katilakan, Punol, and Paidu Pulangi are the ones severely affected by the floods, reports said.


The rains apparently also caused the strong currents of Tamontaka River in Cotabato city, causing a 14-year-old girl to drown 7:30 a.m. today, according to the City Disaster Coordinating Council.

The girl and some friends swam in the river, oblivious of the river’s strong current, said Sam Mundas, head of a rescue group in Cotabato City.

The rains have also flooded many parts of the city, forcing schools in low-lying villages to suspend classes.

Mundas said the water hyacinths coming from the upper Rio Grande de Mindanao blocked the flow of water to the Moro Gulf, thus flooding a wide portion of the city. (Malu Cadeliña Manar / MindaNews)