ZAMBOANGA CITY — At least 10 persons were killed while 11 others went missing in the second district of Lanao del Sur as Tropical Storm Vinta hit several parts of Mindanao Friday.
Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) identified the affected towns in Lanao del Sur’s second district as Bacolod-Kalawi, Balindong (Watu), Madalum and Tugaya.
Hataman’s statement was based on reports from the Lanao del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and ARMM-Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (ARMM-HEART).
“We have mobilized our emergency response team to rescue trapped civilians,” Hataman told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview, adding that heavy equipment were also sent to clear roads hit by landslides.
He said they have set aside emergency funds to provide the needed assistance to the affected families and they would also use the standby PHP50 million emergency fund.
“We are in an emergency response mode,” Hataman said, adding that they expect the number of affected families to increase.
He said they are still waiting for reports from the first district of Lanao del Sur as “Vinta” had also inundated some of its towns.
“Vinta” made landfall in Davao Oriental at dawn Friday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the storm is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday. (PNA)
