SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao, Philippines (PNA) -– The torrential rains in Mindanao brought about by typhoon "Chedeng" submerged at least 10 low-lying towns in Maguindanao, affecting more than 10,000 families, local and relief officials said Friday.

Mayor Tocao Mastura of Sultan Kudarat said his town was severely affected with floodwaters reaching chest deep along portions of the Cotabato-Davao highway.

Social welfare officials said also flooded due to torrential rains the past few days were the towns of Pagalungan, Pagagawan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Northern Kabuntalan, Kabuntalan-Mother, Talayan, Mamasapano and Datu Piang, all situated beside the Rio Grade de Mindanao and Liguasan marshland.

Mastura appealed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to send relief assistance, preferably rice, for some 8,000 families in Sultan Kudarat's 10 low-lying barangays.

Bai Pombain Karon-Kadir, Social Welfare regional secretary for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said she has already sent social workers, on orders of ARMM Gov. Ansaruddin Adiong, to the affected families.

Mastura ordered a forced evacuation after some residents, unmindful of the dangers they were facing, opted to stay in their homes.