CEBU CITY – Seven men were rescued from the middle of a rampaging river in Barangay Cambang-ug, Toledo City, Cebu on Friday afternoon, Oct. 28.
Roselyn Tumarong of the Toledo City Emergency Operations Center said they went to the river to extract sand when heavy rain poured and caused the water to rise.
“It was not raining yet when they went to the river around 2 p.m.,” she said.
Tumarong said as the water started to rise, the seven men stayed on an elevated area in the middle of the river while waiting for rescuers.
They were successfully rescued by personnel from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Coast Guard at around 3 p.m.
Tumarong said one of the rescuers was swept away by the rampaging water but was saved and had to be taken to a hospital for minor injuries.
Heavy flooding and minor landslides caused by severe tropical storm “Paeng” were reported in three barangays in Toledo City, said Tumarong.