Flash flood sweeps away jeepney, 8 passengers die

Seven senior citizens and a five-year-old child died after the jeepney carrying them got stuck in a river and was swept away by a sudden rush of water in Tanay, Rizal on Saturday night.

One witness said the jeepney loaded with 25 passengers crossed the river near Barangay Sta. Ines at 8:15 p.m. when it bogged down.

"The problem was they got stuck so they asked to be pulled by another jeepney. However, a flash flood struck the jeepney causing it to tumble and be swept away," the witness said, based on the report of Tanay Municipal Police Station.

The other passengers and the jeepney driver and his wife suffered injuries and were brought to a hospital for treatment, the report added.

Tanay, Rizal Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office chief Norberto Francisco Matienzo Jr. said that the jeepney came from the town proper when the accident happened.

The accident victims went to the town to get financial assistance from the government and buy personal items.

The bodies of the fatalities were temporarily put in the covered court of Barangay Sta. Ines.