Floodwater invades Northern Samar
A seacraft collision also happened in Palapag town and Echano said that at least six to eight people were rescued while two people remained missing
Daily TribuneA seacraft collision also happened in Palapag town and Echano said that at least six to eight people were rescued while two people remained missing
The shear line affecting Eastern Visayas has brought heavy flooding and continuous pouring rains to residents of Northern Samar on Christmas Day.
In a radio interview, Northern Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Josh Echano disclosed that at least four fishermen in the province were reported missing when they ventured out into the sea despite a raised marine gale warning by the authorities.
Authorities reported four separate maritime incidents in the province as waves reached 2 to 4 meters high.
Also, reports surfaced that two fishermen in San Roque, Northern Samar have not yet returned since they went off the sea on Saturday.
A seacraft collision also happened in Palapag town and Echano said that at least six to eight people were rescued while two people remained missing.
The PDRRMO official said they could not yet initiate a search and rescue operation for the missing fishermen as advised Philippine Coast Guard because the sea waves are still high on the Northern Samar coast.
"We alerted all DRRMO offices in the entire Sorsogon and Samar in case our people will off-track there," said Echano, adding that one out of four missing persons swept by waves from the coasts of San Isidro town on Saturday was already rescued on the nearby island.
Floods gradually subsided in the province's 14 affected villages with waters up to 1 to 2-meter height due to light to moderate rains.
There were no casualties have so far been recorded. Relief assistance was already extended to at least 41 families.
Meantime, some parts of Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte experienced heavy rains on Saturday night and greeted Christmas Day on Sunday with floods.
Strong winds also forced the Philippine Coast Guard stations in Surigao del Norte and Siargao Island to temporarily suspend sea travels.
The Bureau of Fire Protection dispatched personnel to Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte as families were rescued in the villages of Mahanub, Villaflor, Ipil, Cambo-ayon and Poniente with the help of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
"Rescue operation is still ongoing and we are still determining the number of families affected by floods in these barangays," BFP-Gigaquit said.
The Surigao City DRRMO conducted an emergency evacuation operation at around 2 a.m. Sunday in flooded areas of Sitio Dolong and Sitio Baybay Magallanes in Barangay Washington and transferred a senior citizen, two women and two children to a temporary shelter.
The CDRRMO also rescued a woman, a teenager and two dogs in Purok Sampaguita, Barangay Taft.
In Agusan del Norte, BFP-Jabonga said it is still determining the number of affected families.
