15 of 37 Cotabato City villages underwater

COTABATO CITY (Sept. 8/NDBC) --At least 15 barangays in Cotabato City are underwater after the Rio Grande de Mindanao overflowed since last week, officials said.Chariperson Abdillah Lim, president of association of village chair in the city, said the badly hit villages areTamontaka 1 and 2, Mother Poblacion and Rosary Heights 6 were badly hit at present. The water level due to high tide rose to four to five inches based on our monitoring this morning, Lim said, adding that the high tide worsen the situation.Ruby Tan, a college student from from Bagua 3, said she has to wearfirst her short pants in coming out of the villagebefore wearing her school uniform. Another extra challenge today, but its okay, not really a big deal to hinder my pursuit to finish my studies,” she said.At least 26, families have sought relief at the basketball court and social hall of Rosary Heights 6, according to City Social Welfare and Development Officer, Ofelia Ebrahim. We are still validating the exact number of affected families, our priority now are those who are displaced and stayed in evacuation center and will follow on the home based evacuees, Ebrahim said, adding a disaster team meeting is scheduled to look after the flood situation.The city disaster office is also monitoring the incoming bulk of water hyacinths passing through Tamontaka River and Rio Grande de Mindanao before going out to Illana bay. Once these huge chunks ofhyacinthare clogged under the bridge, it will push water to other route and trigger floods in low-lying communities.Cotabato City is a catch basin of waters from Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Liguwasan Marsh areas.