TACLOBAN CITY – A 66-year-old man drowned after his pump boat capsized amid strong currents as a shear line triggered widespread flooding in Eastern Samar on March 20, Thursday.
Authorities identified the fatality as Alberto Campo of Barangay Burak, Llorente, whose body was found three days later on Sunday, March 23, in a river at Sitio Can-ito, Barangay Cantomco around 9:52 a.m., according to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Llorente.
Campo’s wife, Myla, who survived the incident, said their boat sank around 10 a.m. on Thursday as they were heading home.
Meanwhile, at least 11,531 families, or 45,844 individuals, were affected by the flooding in several towns and Borongan City, according to a report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
The affected areas include Taft, San Policarpo, Sulat, Maslog, Can-avid, Maydolong, Dolores, and San Julian, as well as Borongan City. Heavy rains caused rivers to swell, submerging communities and forcing many residents to evacuate.
In response, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region VIII has distributed over 19,000 family food packs to affected families in Taft, Can-avid, San Policarpo, Sulat, and Borongan City.
The agency assured that an additional 125,000 food packs are ready for further relief operations.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
