COTABATO CITY — The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur on Wednesday revealed that four contaminated water sources triggered dehydration and eventually led to the death of five persons, four of them minors.

MDRRMC officer Fuad Samola stressed that an outbreak of diarrhea was experienced in Talayan, adding that the victims have been drinking water taken from four water pumps, locally known as poso, in Barangay Tamar.

"Of the fatalities, four were minors aged 2, 3, 5 and 15," Samola said, adding that the fifth fatality was a 40-year-old man.

He also disclosed that since 31 December 2023, the victims successively experienced severe stomach pain, dizziness and nausea.