‘Josie’ leaves 5 dead, 6 missing
Monsoon rain induced by Tropical Depression “Josie” wreaked havoc in several areas of the Philippines, leaving five dead and six others missing, including five fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. In many other areas, continuous rainfall flooded entire villages.
A woman drowned while five fishermen were missing in Pangasinan province as relentless rains brought by the southwest monsoon continued, disaster officials said on Sunday.
Ailene Isidro Sison, 20, was crossing a creek to visit a friend at Barangay Bedania in Mangatarem town on Friday night when she was swept by rampaging current. Rescuers found her body on Saturday.
Reported missing were Jeric Caasi, Ranillo Campaña, Bunso Vergara, Minandro Caasi and Yvin Lopez, all residents of Bolinao town. They were last contacted at 5 p.m. on Saturday while they were fishing at the West Philippine Sea.
In Antipolo City, the body of Jerwin Geul, 13, was found around 9 a.m. on Sunday at Barangay Calawis, according to a report from the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Geul reportedly went missing on Saturday.
Unidentified man
Authorities also recovered the body of a still unidentified man from Laguna Lake in Binangonan town, Rizal province, on Saturday afternoon. The man, described as wearing a pair of black pants and black rubber shoes, was believed to have drowned in the lake.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) also reported two fatalities and a missing person from the floods and landslides triggered by the relentless rains.
The NDRRMC identified those killed as 54-year-old teacher Luisa Pelew and 43year-old Angelito Jipulan.
The van that Pelew was riding was caught in a landslide on Wednesday along the BontocBanaue Road in Mountain Province while Jipulan was car- ried away by strong water current while crossing a river at Barangay Nagsaha in Guihulngan City.
Missing boy
A 17-year-old boy remained missing after he jumped, during heavy rainfall, into the Bronco Creek at Bronco Compound, Barangay Sto. Domingo, Cainta, Rizal.
Aside from Dagupan and the cities of Alaminos, San Carlos and Urdaneta, floods also swamped the towns of Mangatarem, Calasiao, Sta. Barbara, Labrador, Mabini, Lingayen, Bugallon, Malasiqui, Agno, Natividad, Dasol, Bayambang, Bautista, Bolinao, Infanta, Urbiztondo, Manaoag, Rosales and Aguilar.
Odette Rivero, spokesperson for the National Power Corp., said Ambuklao and Binga dams in Benguet province had reduced the amount of wa- ter that they had been releasing since Saturday.
In Cavite province, disaster response chief Trixia Flores said ankle-to-knee-deep water flooded several areas in Bacoor City, Imus City, Cavite City and the towns of General Trias and Naic.
More rain
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration had advised the public to brace for more rain with the southwest monsoon, locally known as “habagat,” expected to further strengthen as it was being induced by Tropical Depression “Josie.”
Josie was expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday.