Tubod, Lanao del Norte – More than 1,600 flood victims from Iligan City each received 3 kilos of rice, sardines and noodles as part of the relief goods distributed by Lanao del Norte LGU through its Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).

The cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan are the hardest hit areas by tropical storm Sendong that left more than a thousand people dead and hundreds more still missing.

“This is by far the most devastating flood the city has ever seen. Nothing comes close to the destruction left by Sendong”, Iligan City mayor Lawrence Cruz said.

In total, typhoon Sendong affected 21 municipalities, 78 barangays and 13,924 families (63,779 persons), with 245 injured and 807 reported missing. 3,422 houses were totally or partially damaged and there are still 38,332 persons housed in evacuation centers.

There are currently 7,431 persons in the four evacuation centers in Iligan City, which was consumed by flashfloods triggered by the heavy downpour last Friday night reported at 50mm of rain per hour.

“Iligan City has been a dependable ally especially during the August 18, 2008 incident when Iligan took in our evacuees from the towns of Linamon and Kauswagan”, Information Officer Lyndon Calica explained.

Annabelle Mendez, head of PSWDO, delivered the calamity assistance last Sunday to Iligan Disaster Operation Center in the presence of Mayor Cruz. The aid consists of 100 sacks of rice, 10 boxes of sardines and 10 boxes of noodles.

On December 21, Governor Khalid Dimaporo also sent six doctors from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) to Iligan City for a medical mission in Brgy. Upper Hinaplanon.

More than 2,000 residents from the ravaged barangay lined-up at the Hinaplanon Elementary School to avail of the free medical check-up and medicines.

Small wounds, cough, and fever are the common complaints of residents during the medical outreach, it was learned.

“We are thankful to Governor Dimaporo for extending his assistance to my barangay even though we are not part of Lanao del Norte. This (medical mission) is a great help to my constituents”, Brgy. Captain Norodin Cabaro expressed. VNL-PIO/LDN