Flash floods kill farmer, inundate 4 towns in Zambo Sur

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Heavy rains here spawned flash floods that reached six-feet deep, inundating four towns in Zamboanga del Sur that left a farmer dead and a five-year-old girl missing.

Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) Information Officer Chief Insp. Rogelio Alabata reported yesterday that the continuous downpour severely flooded the town of Dimataling, Dinas, Lapuyan and San Miguel in Zamboanga del Sur.

Alabata identified the lone fatality of the flash floods as Merlina Coral, 51, a farmer of Barangay Salaogan in Dimataling town while her granddaughter, Marjori Lorenia, six, a grade one pupil was still missing as of press time.

Ten residents were also reported to have been swept away by the rampaging waters but survived the onslaught by clinging on to mangrove and nipa palms.

Those swept away by the floods all came from Lapuyan and were identified as Oliva Nuñez, 81; Noel Nuñez, 14; Nicole Nuñez, 9; Mariah Justine Anna Nuñez, 6; Ma Roxanne Nuñez, 15; Vincent Paul Garsuta, 17; Francine Kate Garsuta, 11; Brian Sumalpon, 18; Eldie Gramatica and, Ma. Rosanna Nuñez, 48.

Alabata said Coral and her granddaughter were sleeping inside their house when the strong current of waters overflowing from an adjacent river swept the whole house away.

He said a rescue team from the municipality recovered older Coral dead while her granddaughter remained missing and was also feared dead.

Members of the Barangay Emergency Response Team (BERT) and policemen recovered the flashflood survivors around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Poblacion, Lapuyan town.

“They were carried away by the strong current. Accordingly, (the) victims were able to hold on mangrove trees and nipa palms along the riverbank and managed to climb to higher ground until the rescue teams arrived and rescued them, “Alabata said.

Alabata also reported that about 600 residential houses were affected by the flashflood that hit Barangay Poblacion, Lapuyan.

A house made of light materials and owned by Gina Ecat, 47, was swept away and totally destroyed when the river overflowed around 1 a.m. Thursday in Barangay Legarda Dos, Dinas municipality.