NUEVA VIZCAYA -- The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire protection (BFP) in Kasibu are on standby 24/7 in their bid to find the missing three-year old girl who was swept away by strong current in an overflowing river in Barangay Allo here on Saturday, August 6.

The MDRRMO Kasibu led by Rustom Calacal were joined by the Kasibu Police and relatives of the victim in the search and rescue operation that started around 9:30 in the morning on Saturday.

The victim was with her mother on board a motorcycle driven by the victim’s uncle who tried to cross the bridge already reached by an overflow river around 9:30 a.m.

However, due to the strong river current, the motorcycle was carried away.

The mother and uncle managed to make the side of the river despite the strong current, but the girl ws lost in the incident along with the motorcycle.

The search and rescue operations begun right away minutes after the authorities learned of the incident.

PSSgt. Jeffrey A. Binwag, investigator-on-case, admitted the daunting task of combing the river owing to its length.

“Medyo mahaba ang ilog, aabot pa ito ng ilang kilometro , patungo sa Katarawan river at lulusot din ito hanggang sa Quirino province pag nagkataon (The river is too long, it could go to some kilometers towards Katarawan river and would even enter up to Quirino province),” said Binwag.

According to the rescuers, they had already found the motorcycle around 2:30 p.m. about 15 meters from the bridge, but the body of the girl remained missing based on their 5:30 p.m. update.

The police and MDRRMO personnel had advised the mother of the victim to stay at home and rest, after she collapsed in the area of search and rescue.

“Medyo nag collapse ang mother ng bata at hindi na nakayanan ang pag aabang sa ilog (The mother collapsed while waiting for the rescue operation in the river),” an MDRRMO staff said.