Malita aftermath

More than nine hundred families, or at least 5,000 individuals from nine baranggays in Malita Davao del Sur were affected by flashflood on November 20, 2008. I was the first reporter to arrive in the area. Although flood water was already low when i arrived, most of the people i see were still in the state of shock. Just a week before that, they were so happy celebrating the grand Gaginaway Festival. They were all caught unaware if the nature's wrath. As my team drive along the sabang area, the more we damage we saw.
This man's house was destroyed. All of his belongings were washed off by flood. All he had left was the clothes he wore that day. Lucky he was out of his house when the floodwater entered his home.

Worse than this man's fate was his neighbor's father who died twice. First, of cancer, and second, "drowning." Flood rushed inside the wake where laid the dead nieghbor. His coffin was submerged under floodwater. The family immediately transfered the wake to their chappel.

Authorities in Malita believe, the flood was caused by continous rains.It rained in Malita for five consecutive days. One portion of flood control dike at the back of Poblacion Public market collpased. The river overflowed and hit the entire market.
Luckily, there was no casualty reported during the flashflood. But residents described the incident worst than the 1989 flood.
At present, most of the evacuees have returned to their homes. Inspite of the mess the flood left them, most Maliteneos strives to rebuild their livelihood through the help of LGUs and NGOs.
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