CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, January 5, 2009─After spending a night at evacuation centers, more than 3,000 of the 5,000 affected families by flashfloods have returned to their homes.

“Most of those who remained at evacuation centers were those who lost their homes,” said Clem Neri, coordinator of Barangay Macasandig Disaster Coordinating Council in an interview with CBCPnews. She added that most evacuees decided to leave the makeshift shelters.

“Those who stayed either totally or partially lost their homes and felt safer at the barangay gym and chapel,” she said.

“Na trauma ko sa nahitabu ug dili naku gusto mobalik sa among balay pero asa man sad mi padulong kung dili mi mobalik “ (I was traumatized by the incident but if I decide not to return to our home, where will we stay?), Cecil Almonte, 41, a mother of two polio-stricken children said, in an interview at the evacuation center.

City government officials have assured the victims of adequate services from calamity funds.

“Families validated by the barangay officials as residents will be given assistance,” said City Social Welfare Development head Marissa Tagarda.

The weather had improved and floodwaters at Cagayan de Oro River had subsided as of press time.

Among the barangays affected by the flashflood are Barangays Macasandig, Consolacion, Gusa, Balulang, Carmen, Barangay 13, Barangay 15, Barangay 17, Barangay 7, Tablon, Barangay 6 and Indahag.

According to the latest City Disaster Coordinating Council bulletin, Barangay Macasandig is affected the most with almost ten thousand persons displaced while eight persons are still missing as of 6 p.m. Sunday. (Maryann Alasay Zamora)