DAVAO CITY – The office of First Congressional District Representative Paolo Duterte, through the Pulong Pulong ni Pulong program, took rounds on November 9, Wednesday dawn, to inspect flooded areas caused by hours of heavy rainfall here.

Rep. Duterte’s office responded in the affected areas in the first district and distributed food packs (rice, canned goods, milk, bread, biscuits, and bottled water), hot meals, lunch, and other basic needs to flood victims.

The flood swept away various vehicles and caused significant damage, particularly at Samantha Homes in Barangay Bago Gallera and Susana Homes in Barangay Baliok, Talomo District. 

Other affected barangays, based on the record from the City Government, Davao City Police Office (DCPO), and Baliok Police Station, are Bago Aplaya, Talomo Poblacion, Matina Aplaya, Catalunan Pequeño, and Ma-a, all in Talomo District, and Sto. Niño in Tugbok District.

Rep. Duterte’s office said their staff distributed emergency aid to every barangay zone affected by the flash flood.

The heavy rainfall and flash floods persisted from November 8, Wednesday night, until Thursday morning, November 9, which caused residents to seek safety on the rooftops of their homes while others evacuated to shelters following the advice of the rescuers before the waters got deeper.

In video footage, a woman stranded on a rooftop with her three children at Samantha Homes was crying as if she was on the brink of death in the rising floodwaters and called for help.

In another video footage by Retsel Semaj, the latter captured a man trying to swim through a strong current of waters to reach a person he heard crying out for help. He also saw one of his neighbors on a rooftop trying to calm their mother.

Many affected families posted video clips on Facebook and the Davao City Public Information and Inquiry Facebook page, describing their situation and requesting assistance from the authorities.

John Christian shared on his Facebook page that he had never witnessed or experienced such an occurrence in the years he has resided at Samantha Homes. He described such an experience as “A hell of a nightmare.”

The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) has initially recorded 127 internally displaced families or 454 individuals. Not a single death was reported. 

As hundreds of families sought help following the above-the-head-level flash flood, hundreds of commuters got trapped in the downtown area due to an above-ankle flood on some streets and a knee-deep flood on McArthur Highway in Matina.

Shan Nacua, a student and a renter in Bangkal, said that she arrived in her room-for-rent past 2 a.m. She added that she got stranded due to the street floods and emergencies in other areas.

The City Government declared on Thursday morning a suspension of classes in all levels of public and private schools in identified barangays affected by the heavy rains from Wednesday evening to Thursday dawn.

A cluster of multiple vehicles was discovered in a stream at Samantha Homes Subdivision in Bago Gallera on Thursday morning, following the flash flood, which subsided on Thursday morning.

Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte issued the order suspending the classes to ensure the public's safety and to take preventive measures against potential adverse events caused by heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding.

Mindanao PAGASA Regional Services Division issued on November 9 a thunderstorm advisory #3 indicating moderate to heavy rainfall with lightning and strong winds in some parts of Region 11.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued on November 8 a general flood advisory #2 for the Davao Region with a forecast of isolated rains or thunderstorms due to a low-pressure area (LPA) at 185 kilometers west of Dipolog City.