Flooding Displaces Thousands in General Santos City Amidst Heavy Rains

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 24 July 2026) – Close to 300 families from several barangays here were forced to evacuate after rivers and creeks overflowed due to continuous heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon or Habagat. The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), in its 9 a.m. situation report on Friday, said 260 families, or 1,091 individuals, were staying in three evacuation centers across the city. These included 127 families (537 individuals) at the Barangay Calumpang Gym, 127 families (538 individuals) at the Bulaong Satellite Phase 2 Gym in Barangay Labangal, and 6 families (16 individuals) at the Carcon Village Covered Court in Barangay Lagao. The CDRRMO reported flooding in portions of Barangays Calumpang, Labangal and Lagao but said no state of calamity had been declared, classes remained uninterrupted, and all major roads in the city were still passable as of Friday morning. In Calumpang, floodwaters rose after the Makar River swelled and interconnected creeks overflowed following hours of persistent rainfall. Water from Barangays San Jose and Sinawal flowed downstream into low-lying areas, rapidly inundating several communities. Robin James Mozo, Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chair of Calumpang, said around 400 families were displaced and temporarily sheltered at the barangay gym while authorities continued monitoring the situation. The flooding affected the communities of Rovalgon, Quilantang, Upper Puting Bato and Lower Puting Bato. Residents of Purok Puting Bato fled their homes after a creek that is usually dry during summer swelled. Meanwhile, Labangal was also hit by flooding Thursday night. According to SK Councilor Yen Bayotas, an initial assessment conducted at 7:43 p.m. showed that 92 families, or 414 individuals, from Purok Roberto, Balunto, Magsaysay B, Lower Malok A, San Vicente Olarte and BCV Extension were affected. All 92 families were evacuated to the Bulaong Satellite Phase 2 Gym, the initial report said. The flooding also left 16 houses totally damaged and one house partially damaged. Barangay responders conducted interviews and rapid needs assessments among the affected families and coordinated with the barangay and city DRRMOs for relief and response operations. A social worker from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said a separate preliminary list recorded 547 families, or 1,387 individuals, but added that they were still validating the figures. The verification was necessary after authorities found that some residents who were not affected by the flooding had reportedly registered for assistance. CSWDO personnel were continuing validation in flood-affected riverside communities on Friday to verify the actual number of affected families before finalizing the list of beneficiaries for government assistance. (Justine Paul Paraz/MindaNews)