DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan – Authorities are still on the search for three individuals who have gone missing in Suyo town, Ilocos Sur, as rains and floodwaters rushed towards Ilocos Sur because of Severe Tropical Storm Maring.
Siblings Gwen Misha and Gab Merchan Mina, nine and eight years old respectively, have been missing since last night.
PLT Giron Oncheta, Suyo police chief reveals the siblings were washed away as floods began charging towards their shanty in Barangay Poblacion.
The Mina family were living in a hut just beside the town’s river. It was unprecedented.
“May sampung taon na silang nakatira doon, ngayon lang daw lumaki nang ganon yung tubig sa ilog”, said Oncheta.
The raging floodwaters washed away the family’s hut, along with the siblings.
In the same barangay, 67-year-old Salvador Padsing was unable to come home after checking out their piggery across the river.
Oncheta said Padsing’s wife reported that Salvador was not able to come home, and that their piggery was also washed out.
Oncheta fears they have drowned to death.
As of writing, search and rescue operations are still ongoing, in an attempt to retrieve the victims, or at least, their remains.
Police stations in neighboring downstream towns have been alerted since last night for possible retrieval.
Meanwhile, Oncheta said there are no more evacuees in town as floodwaters have receded “Nakauwi na po lahat. Bumaba na yung tubig”, he said.
Affected families have been given adequate food and water supplies.
Only the electricity supply remains to be restored.
To let the residents of the province recover from the aftermath of the disaster, Ilocos Sur governor Ryan Luis Singson announced the extension of suspension for work and classes, both in private and public sectors on Wednesday, October 13.