BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Amid fluctuating weather condition, the monitoring team of the Butuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) said on Thursday that it is “redoubling” its efforts in closely checking the water level in Agusan river, one of the longest rivers in Mindanao.

At least 20 barangays in the city face danger in case flood waters coming from upper Agusan and Compostela Valley strike this region’s frontier and capital city of Northeastern Mindanao.

Round-the-clock close monitoring is in effect as all city and riverside barangay officials are directed to closely monitor their respective constituents in case flood waters start coming from Upper Agusan and Compostela Valley.

“We are redoubling our effort to protect our people,” said City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. as he directed CDRRMC personnel and all department heads to be on “alert” at all times.

He said residents in several low-lying barangays like Agao, Golden Ribbon, Ma-on and Baan Riverside have already been evacuated to their respective barangay hall and covered courts.

As of this posting, the water level in Agusan river was at 1.8 meters. The normal water level of Agusan river is 0.9 meters. The river’s water level reached 2.8 meters last Monday, prompting the city government to declare alert level two in the entire city.

Last Monday, a total of 11 barangays were flooded and at least close to 100 families were evacuated. Residents in low-lying barangays have been advised to stay on alert until the water level returns to normal.

The CDRRMC said residents who are housed in evacuation centers are advised not to go back to their homes should the water level go back to normal on Friday because the flood water coming from Agusan del Sur is still traversing the Agusan River.

“Anytime now, water level in the river increases if Agusan del Sur is still flooded,” said an official from the CDRRMC who requested anonymity.

The city of Butuan is considered a river basin of Agusan River. Thus, whenever Davao City and Agusan del Sur get flooded, flood waters will flow to the river and will be deposited here.

In a related development, help from all over the country and abroad keep coming in for families affected by the recent typhoon that hit Northern Mindanao last Dec. 17.

As of this writing, donations in food and non-food, which have been accounted with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, have reached close to P4 million.

Meanwhile in Davao City, state forensic experts have identified 289 bodies that were rescued this this week in Cagayan de Oro City, it was learned Thursday.

Emiliano Galban, information officer of the Department of Health Region 10, said the identification of more bodies would continue to shorten the list of missing people.

Families have claimed identified bodies and most of them have already been laid to rest, said Galban.

There are 100 more unidentified cadavers remaining and are temporarily placed in mass chambers built in a cemetery in Barangay Camaan-an in Cagayan de Oro City, said Galban

“The search and retrieval (operations) will continue,” he said.

At least 600 people are said to be missing still, while 891 bodies have been recovered, reports said.

In Davao del Norte, 9 villages have been declared under state of calamity after four rivers in the province overflowed.

700 families have fled their homes while 26 houses have been permanently damaged in the municipality of Kapalong.

Meanwhile, some residents of Barangay Lapasan and Barangay 22 panicked and run off their homes after hearing reports from the radio that a tsunami allegedly would hit the city.

Most of the residents, it was gathered, stayed at a nearby bus terminal amid fears that a long, high sea wave would cause another disaster in the city due to continuous rains. (With additional reports from PNA)