CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The provincial government revealed that at least P20 million-worth of infrastructure were damaged while 76 villages were affected by the recent flooding that hit Misamis Oriental province.

Provincial administrator John Venice Ladaga on Friday said that an initial onsite damage assessment and analysis is ongoing to prioritize rehabilitation efforts in flood-hit areas affected by the shear line, where hot and cold winds converge and bring rains.

"Governor Peter Unabia, with the provincial engineering and the Department of Public Works and Highways, has inspected the affected areas and ensured that rehabilitation and recovery efforts are to be undertaken with haste after the assessment," Ladaga said.

He added that Gingoog City was hit the hardest by the flood and has sustained heavy damage to infrastructure.

A report by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Northern Mindanao showed that damage to irrigation canals and machinery in Gingoog City were initially pegged at P20 million.

It added that the neighboring municipalities of Balingasag, Medina, Salay, and Balingoan were also severely affected by the 24 to 25 December flooding.

The RDRRMC-10 also indicated that 12,374 families or 57,781 individuals in the 76 affected villages were displaced by the floods.

The DPWH is expected to submit its full report on the province-wide damage to infrastructure and agriculture, including houses, on 31 December.

Ladaga said the governor has also instructed the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office to continue distributing assistance to the flood-affected residents.

To date, he said the provincial government has delivered more than 26,000 food packs to evacuation centers.