4 twisters hit 4 villages in Kidapawan

KIDAPAWAN CITY - The twistersthat hit four villages here have destroyed more thanP3 million worth of crops and properties, the city disaster office said.Psalmer Bernalte, City Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) action officer, said the twisters slashed through the agricultural villages of Manongol, Indangan, Pacoand Perez. In Barangay Manogol, the twister damaged crops on its vegetative stage, destroyed a Senior Citizen center and Barangay Police Action Team (BPAT) center, Bernalte said. He said the village officials of drought affected communitiesand the city council members will meet to assess whether or not the city should be placed under state of calamity.During the dry spell, twisters, also known among the locals as tornadoes, occasionally hit North Cotabato farming towns of Tulunan, Mlang, Kabacan and Matalam and Kidapawan City. A twister also hit banana plantations in Barangay Paco, Kidapawan City, damaging about P2 million plants.A banana plantation owner, Daniel Curambao, told Williamor Magbanua of Radyo Bida Kidapaan that more than 90 percent of his banana plantation were devastation by the twister.