Butuan City — The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga regional office Tuesday reported that the affected people of the flooding due to rains in the region went up to 15,561 or about 3,180 families from 20 barangays, with 2,367 individuals or 429 families from nine villages evacuated to temporary shelters.

OCD Caraga regional director Dr. Blanche Gobenciong said the flooding was caused by continuous rains spawned by the tail-end of the cold front.

OCD updated reports said Barangay San Pablo in Tubod, Surigao del Norte reported 39 persons or 13 families were evacuated to San Pablo Day Care Center.

In Lakeside town of Mainit, Surigao del Norte, 140 families or 888 individuals from Brgy. Quezon, 15 families or 90 individuals from Tapian, Brgy. Mansayao 32 or 192 while Tagbuyawan 92 or 552 sought temporary shelter in different evacuation centers while some opted to stay at their relatives’ houses.

In Alegria, Surigao del Norte, some 162 families or 972 individuals were affected by the flooding.

Jabonga, Agusan del Norte Mayor Glicerio Monton said some 700 individuals who evacuated earlier from four lakeside barangays have remained in different shelters after they opted to stay in the centers installed by municipal and provincial risk reduction and management councils.

“We already distributed relief goods to the evacuees” Monton said.

Some 520 persons or 121 families from Brgys. Poblacion, Bunga, Colorado and Beltran, all in Jabonga municipality, Agusan del Norte were evacuated to Municipal Gym; Senior Citizen Center; Old RHU; School Buildings, Roman Catholic Convent and Barangay Warehouses. Other families opted to stay at their relatives’ houses. (PNA)