Families hide in drainage canals as Typhoon Tino floods Dinagat Islands

With evacuation centers filled beyond capacity, Typhoon Tino forced Dinagat Islands residents to seek safety inside cramped drainage canals.

Inside the drainage passage were 14 families, including a mother carrying her three-month-old baby, who spent the night amid the typhoon.

Photos of them circulating on social media showed the residents sitting on wet ground, surrounded only by flashlights.

“Update namo dre sa imbornal. Keep safe, everyone. Sakit sa likod mag tikoko dle ka tuyhad ug higda pero okay ra kayo mi,” one resident with Facebook user Rudelyn Dayon stated.

(This is our update here in drainage. Keep safe, everyone. Our backs hurt from bending down because we can’t stand or lie down, but it’s okay.)

Residents explained that they chose to stay inside the canal for safety after floodwaters rose and evacuation sites became overcrowded.

“Safe mi tanan dre dle ma bahaan amo dre kay ng kilid gikanalan man, sa mga nabalaka salamat kaayo pero okay rami salamat kaayo sa concern,” the same resident said.

(We’re all safe here, our place won’t get flooded because there’s a drainage on the side. To anyone who was concerned, thank you so much.)

The locals also explained that they refused to relocate to formal evacuation centers after photos of them were posted online.

“Klarohon lang naku. Ako ang nag post nga nangayo ug rescue kay safe naman mi dre. Ang amo picture gi pangayo tapos gi post niya ingun ato na ang caption. Mangayo lang ko pasinsya labi na sa mga tawo nga ni tabang pa anhi dre arun ma rescue unta mi, pero wa mi ni uban kay safety mi dre,” Dayon explained.

(I just want to clarify. I wasn’t the one who posted asking for rescue because we’re really safe here. Our photos were stolen and posted with the caption asking for rescue. I just want to apologize, especially to those who went for rescuing, but we didn’t go with you because we’re safe here.)

“Kung ni salig mos inyo gi bakwitan, nisalig sab mi sa amo gi bakwitan kay dre sabmi tung Oddette,” she added.

(If you trusted the place you’re evacuated at right now, we trust ours too because we’ve been here since Odette)

As of writing, over 133,000 residents have been displaced from their homes by the typhoon.