By Aaron Recuenco
Heavy rains brought by tropical depression ‘Josie’ claimed six more lives as the huge volume of water it dumped has triggered massive flooding and caused rivers and creeks to swell.
(Freddie C. Velez/MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In Benguet, security guard Lito Lacuna drowned while crossing a river at Camp 5 in Acupan, Barangay Virac in Itogon town while on his way to work on Saturday morning.
In Ifugao, 73-year old farmer Crisencio Coloma drowned while attempting to cross a river with his cart loaded with bags of fertilizer in Barangay Calimag, Alfonso LIsta town.
In Rizal province, a male cadaver was discovered on Sunday two kilometers away from the wharf of Barangay Pagasa in Binalonan town.
Also in Rizal, 17-year old Brix Boticario drowned in a creek in Cainta, Rizal.
In Iloilo, a nine-year old boy fell on a creek and eventually carried by floodwater in Barangay Calampitao in Guimbal town on Monday.
In Abra, an 85-year old woman died after she slipped as a result of heavy rains in Barangay Lumaba in Villaviciosa town.
In Central Luzon, more than 440 barangays in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga were submerged into floodwaters which resulted in the displacement of 20,000 families.
The worst hit of the flooding was Bataan with more than 200 barangays flooded.
Based on the report from the regional office of the Office of Civil Defense, several roads were rendered not passable due to flooding and debris carried by floodwater.
In CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), hundreds of barangays especially in Cavite suffered severe flooding that also forced more than 2,000 families to flee their homes.
The incident prompted several local government units in Cavite to declare State of Calamity.
Mindoro provinces also experienced severe flooding.