North Cotabato disaster officials implement forced evacuation

KABACAN, North Cotabato - The provincial government of North Cotabato and the local government of Kabacantoday implemented forced evacuation on families in low lying areas after the Kabacan river overflowed Thursday dawn, disaster officials said.Heavy downpour Wednesday night until Thursday dawn triggered flash floods when the Kabacan river overflowed, inundating low lying villages near the riverbank, according to North Cotabato provincial disaster risk reduction and management council.Two persons, a 22 year old man in Kabacanand a 60-year-old woman farmer in Arakan, North Cotabato,were reported killed in the calamity and several houses were destroyed.The compound of University of Southern Mindanao was also flooded.Officials suspend classes Thursday. Several students were trapped and were rescued by the provincial government rescue unit, Ortega said.About 300 displaced families are temporarily housed at the university gymnasium.