Comprehensive capacity development project for the Bangsamoro Final Report Chapter 5. Existing Conditions of Flood and Disaster Management in Bangsamoro CHAPTER 5 EXISTING CONDITIONS OF FLOOD AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN BANGSAMORO 5.1 Floods and Other Disasters in Bangsamoro 5.1.1 Floods (1) Disaster reports of OCD-ARMM The Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-ARMM prepares disaster reports for every disaster event, and submits them to the OCD Central Office. However, historic statistic data have not been compiled yet as only in 2013 the report template was drafted by the OCD Central Office. OCD-ARMM started to prepare disaster reports of the main land provinces in 2014, following the draft template. Its satellite office in Zamboanga prepares disaster reports of the island provinces and submits them directly to the Central Office. Table 5.1 is a summary of the disaster reports for three flood events in 2014. Unfortunately, there is no disaster event record of the island provinces in the reports for the reason mentioned above. According to staff of OCD-ARMM, main disasters in the Region are flood and landslide, and the two mainland provinces, Maguindanao and Lanao Del Sur are more susceptible to disasters than the three island provinces, Sulu, Balisan and Tawi-Tawi. Table 5.1 Summary of Disaster Reports of OCD-ARMM for Three Flood Events Affected Damage to houses Agricultural Disaster Event Affected Municipalities Casualties Note people and infrastructures loss Mamasapano, Datu Salibo, Shariff Saydona1, Datu Piang1, Sultan sa State of Calamity was Flood in Barongis, Rajah Buayan1, Datu Abdulah PHP 43 million 32,001 declared for Maguindanao Sangki, Mother Kabuntalan, Northern 1 dead, 8,303 ha affected. families/ Maguindanao Province Kabuntalan, Ampatuan, Datu Montawal, No missing, No damage reported No reported 160,005 Province on June 19 (June 13 to Pagalungan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Sultan No injured livestock or individuals and released on June July 9, 2014) Kudarat, General Salipada K. Pendatun fishery damage 23 (GSKP), Sultan Mastura, Mangudadatu, Buluan, Pandag, Talitay, Buldon, Barira Flash Flood in North Upi of 95 families/ 3 houses totally and Maguindanao No Declaration of North Upi of Maguindanao No Casualties 137 7 houses partially 2 ha of corn farm Province State of Calamity individuals damaged. (6/13–7/9/ 2014) 11 houses totally damaged and 3 Ampatuan, Buldon, Datu Montawal, houses partially Mamasapano, Pagalungan, Paglat, Shariff A state of Calamity damaged. Saydona Mustapha, Sultan Kudarat, was declared for Flood in A primary school Sultan Mastura, Sultan Sa Barongis, North 5 dead and 4 Kudarat Municipality Maguindanao 35,930 destroyed by Upi, South Upi, Northern Kabuntalan, injured by on Sep. 9, for Province families/ landslide PHP 45 million Mother Kabuntalan, Datu Salibo, Rajah flash flood and Kabuntalan (August 25 to 176,355 A number of 8,784 ha affected Buayan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Talitay, landslide in Municipality on Sep. September 9, individuals properties were Magudadatu, Pandag, Buluan, General North Upi 8 and for Pagalungan 2014) damaged due to Salipada K. Pendatun (GSKP), Datu Municipality on Aug. tornado incident at Piang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Hoffer, 29 Barangay Talayan* Magsaysay, Parang Maguindanao Source: OCD-ARMM. (2) Historical floods Flooding in the Bangsamoro area is usually associated with the occurrence of typhoons, thunderstorms and/or monsoon rains. In particular, Typhoon Frank in 2008 triggered massive inundations in the provinces of Cotabato, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat (all in Region XII) and in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao (Figure 5.1). Table 5.2 shows flood damages in the BCT area according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC—the forerunner of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council [NDRRMC]). In total, 46 people were killed, and 5-1 Comprehensive capacity development project for the Bangsamoro Final Report Chapter 5. Existing Conditions of Flood and Disaster Management in Bangsamoro 554,262 people of 490 barangays were affected. According to officials of DPWH, the Simuay River changed its main course from west to south, namely to the Rio Grande de Mindanao (the Mindanao River) during the flood. This course change not only caused flooding over Sultan Kudarat Municipality of Maguindanao Province but also brought about siltation of sediments in the river channel of the Rio Grande de Mindanao. Moreover, water hyacinth flowing from the upstream was caught and accumulated at the New Delta Bridge and clogged the river channel. The siltation and the clogging raised the river water level, resulting in overflow into Cotabato City and Sultan Kudarat. Table 5.2 Flood Damages in ARMM and Cotabato City by Typhoon Frank in 2008 Population No. of affected Affected population No. of Province/City (as of August 2007) Barangays (% of population) dead/missing Maguindanao 1,273,725 279 311,379 (24.4%) 43 Lanao del Sur 1,138,544 176 138,693 (12.2%) 0 Tawi-Tawi 450,346 5 450 (0.1%) 0 Basilan 408,520 5 1,475 (0.4%) 0 Sulu 849,670 0 0 (0%) 0 Cotabato City 259,153 25 102,265 (39.5) 3 Total 4,379,948 490 554,262 (12.6%) 46 Source: NDDC-OCD. In 2009 Typhoon Jolina displaced 15,000 families and inundated nearly all the barangays in Cotabato City (36 out of 37 barangays). For weeks, large tract of farmlands were submerged causing massive losses in agricultural productivity and income. From May to June of 2011, moderately heavy rain caused massive flooding in 31 of the 37 barangays in Cotabato City, and seven municipalities of Maguindanao were under 5- feet of flood. In Lanao del Sur, inundation reached knee-deep in six municipalities. The Regional Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) reported Source: NEDA Region XII. that about 75% of the houses and farmlands in Cotabato City and nearby environs were Figure 5.1 Flood Areas around Cotabato City submerged for several weeks. Among those Caused by Typhoon Frank in 2008 greatly affected were those in low-lying areas (floodplains) and near the major rivers of the Mindanao River Basin. During the 2011 flood, water hyacinth became one of the most troublesome issues again. Accumulation of water hyacinth under the Delta Bridge and on the Tamontaka River contributed to the flood. The one under the Delta Bridge reached up to an estimated area of 16 ha, which was double its size three years ago during the onslaught of Typhoon Frank in 2008. As a solution of the water hyacinth problem, its utilization as materials for handicraft, feed, fertilizer, bio-energy, etc. is being promoted by the private sector in cooperation with Photo 5.1: Accumulation of water hyacinth under DPWH and the LGUs. Delta Bridge on Rio de Grande River in June 2011 5-2 Comprehensive capacity development project for the Bangsamoro Final Report Chapter 5. Existing Conditions of Flood and Disaster Management in Bangsamoro Table 5.3 Natural Disaster Damages in ARMM between 2010 and 2011 Type of disaster Date Affected population Affected areas 9,388 families Maguindanao Province Flash Flood June 2010 40,000 persons (10 barangays) 11,816 families Maguindanao Province Flash Flood January 2011 59,080 persons (26 barangays) Sulu Province Flash Flood February 2011 553 families (4 coastal barangays) 53,188 families Maguindanao Province Flood May –June 2011 324,261 persons (168 barangays) 10,263 families Flood May –June 2011 Sulu (9 barangays) 51,315 persons 27,357 families Maguindanao Province Typhoon Sendong December 15-16, 2011 138,504 persons (15 barangays) Source NDRRMC. (3) Flood prone areas Figure 5.2 shows the flood-prone area in the Bangsamoro region. The lowland area in Maguindanao along rivers such as the Mindanao River and the Simuay River, around Lake Lanao, and some parts of the coastline are flood prone areas. (4) Causes of flood Conceivable causes of flooding in the Mindanao River Basin (MRB) might be summarized in Table 5.4, based on previous studies. Table 5.4 Conceivable Causes of Flooding in Mindanao River Basin (MRB) Cause of Floods Contents Poor flow capacities of shallow, gentle and meandering river channels of the Mindanao Poor flow capacity River and its tributaries are one of the major cause of flooding. Erosion is likely to occur due to the steep slope, no vegetation, and poorly consolidated or Heavy erosion and siltation compacted sediments in the MRB. Eroded sediment is transported downstream and makes shallow the river beds. Heavy erosion and siltation can even change river courses in the BCT area as the case of the Simuay River. Following is another example of the Allah River. The denuded upper mountains and hills in the Allah River basin, the pyroclastic materials from previous eruptions of Mt. Parker and the rich farmlands of Banga, Isulan, Tacurong, and Koronadal contribute to the major problem of siltation that has caused the perennial inundation of its flood plains where most of the populated centers and agricultural fields River course change are located. The major storms of 2008 and 2009 have caused the river to change its course five times. In May 2011, the entire river diverted towards Barangay Tinumiguez at Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat and destroyed over 2,000 ha of rice field and flowed through a 4 km stretch of the Lambayong-Marbel road. In 2009, the diversion of the river course to the populated area of Lambayong imperiled the residents. The presence of water hyacinth (an indication of the poor water quality) which had been carried downstream from the Ligawasan Marsh caused the clogging of the Tamontaka Water Hyacinth River and the Rio Grande de Mindanao and consequently caused the great flood disaster in June 2011. The water hyacinth stretched nearly 8 km long and 5 m deep. Source: JICA Study Team.