ILOILO City — The southwest monsoon, which brought torrential rains since last week, has led to the death of four individuals and one missing child across Western Visayas, according to the latest report from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC).
As per Situational Report No. 6, the fatalities occurred due to drowning incidents reported from September 12 to 9 p.m. on September 16.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Antique and the Philippine National Police provided updates on these casualties.
The deceased include:
* Rogelio Estocado, 76, from Barangay Dumrog, Pandan, Antique, whose body was found in an advanced state of decomposition along the seashore of Barangay Dionela on September 14. He had been swept away by a strong water current on September 12 while tending to a tied-up carabao near a river bank.
* Macario Villasan, 69, from Barangay Bulwangan, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, was discovered on the afternoon of September 16 at the shoreline after being carried away by a strong current on September 14 while crossing a river post a drinking session.
* Rockey Jay Alasa, 37, from Barangay Guiwanon, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, met with a fatal accident when he, along with two companions, was hit by large waves while swimming to their motorbanca for fishing on September 15. He disappeared in the water and was later declared dead-on-arrival at a hospital.
* A 16-year-old male from Culasi, Antique, drowned in the seawaters of Culasi on September 14 during a swim with friends amid strong rain and rough waves.
Additionally, a five -year-old boy from Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, remains missing after slipping into a river along with his brother on September 13 when their mother accidentally slipped on a concrete pipe drainage. While his brother was rescued, the young boy was swept away by the current.
As of 9 p.m. on September 16, 2024, the RDRRMC reported that a total of 73,512 families or 256,593 persons from 638 barangays have been affected by the monsoon. Among these, 9,832 families (35,233 persons) were sheltered inside 420 evacuation centers, while 4,813 families (19,471 persons) received aid outside evacuation centers.
Here is a breakdown of the affected by province and city:
* Aklan – 11,083 families (41,088 persons)
* Antique – 30,908 families (102,716 persons)
* Guimaras – 172 families (460 persons)
* Iloilo – 97 families (401 persons)
* Iloilo City – 100 families (406 persons)
* Bacolod City – 489 families (1,626 persons)
* Negros Occidental – 30,663 families (109,896 persons)
The monsoon has also resulted in 377 damaged houses, with 335 partially and 42 totally destroyed. The breakdown of damaged houses includes:
* Aklan – 90 houses (2 totally and 88 partially damaged)
* Antique – 83 houses (17 totally and 66 partially damaged)
* Guimaras – 1 house (partially damaged)
* Iloilo – 86 houses (7 totally and 79 partially damaged)
* Negros Occidental – 117 houses (16 totally and 101 partially damaged)
In response, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 has provided 13,450 family food packs valued at P11,071,421.52 to the affected families./PN
