Flash floods hit North Cotabato villages, 2 die

KABACAN, North Cotabato - Two persons died when the Kabacan river, which emanates from the mountain ranges of Bukidnon and North Cotabato, overflowed Thursday morning, inundating low lying villages in Magpet, Arakan and Kabacan, officials said today.In Barangay Bantac, Magpet, two houses were destroyedrampaging flood water. One of the houses, owned by Josephine Gamboa, was carried away by flood while the house of Eduard Lambac was cut in half during the flood.In Kabacan, thousands of families have evacuated when flood water submerged low lying villages, according to David Don Saure, Kabacan disaster official told DXND Radyo Bida Kidapawan. Water entered the communities beginning at past 8 a.m.He said the villages ofPoblacion, Dagupan, Katidtuan, Aringay, Bangilan, Kayaga and other low lying barangays were affected, including the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) campus.Saure said a 22-year-old boy was declared dead on arrival at a hospital after he drowned during the floods.In Arakan, Winnie Pajenado, 60 year old farmer, was also drowned when he tried to save his carabao at the height of calamity.Officials said portions of the Kabacan-Carmen national highway was shut down because flood water also inundated the road network with extra strong water current.The North Cotabato provincial disaster risk reduction and management council is still evaluating and assessing the effects of flash floods.