(UPDATED)
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed Monday, Sept. 26, that there were five rescuers who died in a flash flood that hit a village in San Miguel, Bulacan at the height of Typhoon “Karding.”
Asst. Sec. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, NDRRMC spokesperson, confirmed the receipt of a report from the local DRRM council that there were rescuers who became casualties of a flash flood in Barangay Camias.
“Mayroon tayong casualties sa Bulacan na mga rescuers natin (We have casualties in Bulacan who are rescuers),” he said in a Laging Handa briefing.
In a separate press briefing at the NDRRMC Building in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Alejandro condoled with the families of the victims.
"I would like to express my condolences to the families of the five rescuers who died in Bulacan," he said.
A report from Central Luzon police said five rescuers drowned at the height of Typhoon Karding in Brgy. Camias, San Miguel town.
They were identified as Narciso Calayag, Jerson Resurecion, Marvy Bartolome, George Agustin, and Troy Justin Agustin, all members of the Bulacan Provincial Rescue Team. Their bodies were found in different areas in Sitio Banga Banga of Brgy. Camias around 7 a.m. Monday.
Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando said in a previous interview that the rescuers were conducting rescue operations in the area the night before when their truck malfunctioned, forcing them to use a boat to survey a flooded portion of the village. Unfortunately, a flash flood occurred which sent a collapsed wall to the rescuers, sending them off balance as their bodies were carried by strong current.
Aside from this, Alejandro said they were verifying reports about six fishermen who went missing person in Camarines Norte, Bicol Region. There was also an unvalidated report about a resident who was buried in a landslide in Bordeos, Quezon on Sunday night, according to the local government.
Meanwhile, the number of evacuated individuals has risen to 78,907 individuals in the National Capital Region, Ilocos Region (1), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4A), Mimarooa (Region 4B), Region 5, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Flood has yet to subside in parts of Central Luzon like Nueva Ecija, but the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was already tasked by the NDRRMC to fix the problem.
“We were able to see portions of Gapan Highway that are still flooded and remain impassable. We have already given instructions to DPWH to fix this,” said Alejandro, who joined during an aerial inspection of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in affected areas in Luzon.
“We still have 10 more typhoons until December so let us continue to prepare,” he added.