Waist-deep floods swamp village as monsoon rains hit Sultan Kudarat

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — Waist-deep floodwaters submerged parts of Barangay Caridad in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat on Friday morning after hours of continuous rain brought by the southwest monsoon, or habagat.

Barangay staff member Tambaiko Ambilang Sarip said rainfall began on Thursday, July 23, and continued through the night, with intermittent moderate to heavy downpours.

The floodwaters began to rise before dawn, residents said. Water poured into their homes and rose quickly in less than an hour.

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Residents noticed floodwaters rising before dawn. Water entered their homes and rose quickly in less than an hour.

Around 12 a.m., the water inside some houses had risen to above knee level. Most residents were already awake, moving their furnitures and valuables to higher ground to save them from being damaged.

At around 5:30 a.m., much of the village center was already underwater, with floodwaters reaching waist level in several areas.

Residents were seen pushing tricycles through the flood to reach shallower ground, while others carried motorcycles to safer areas. Boats were also used by families with small children to reach flooded parts of the village.

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Gov. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu has issued an executive order suspending classes in all schools in Lambayong and the whole province of Sultan Kudarat on Friday due to the effects of the bad weather.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the southwest monsoon continues to bring rains over the Soccsksargen region.

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The flooding has also disrupted the livelihood of many residents. Sarip said they are worried about damage to rice, corn and vegetable farms that have been submerged. The high floodwaters have also made it difficult for people to leave their homes, with many unable to use their vehicles.

Lambayong Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Sherwin de Guzman said Barangay Caridad and nearby communities serve as catch basins for runoff from upper valley areas, including South Cotabato, Bagumbayan and Isulan.

Because of this, the villages are prone to flooding even if there is little or no rainfall locally, as heavy rains in upstream areas eventually flow into the municipality.

Although skies were cloudy Friday morning and no rain was falling at the time, residents remained on alert as more rain was expected later in the day.

As of Friday morning, the MDRRMO said no families had evacuated despite the flooding. /das