Three dead in Negros Oriental due to Agaton; Vis-Min areas flooded

Three individuals were killed in Negros Oriental due to Tropical Storm Agaton while several areas in the Visayas and Mindanao experienced flooding due to the rains brought by the storm.

According to a Sunday 24 Oras Weekend report, the three fatalities were from Negros Oriental's Basay town. Among them was a four-year-old who drowned in a river in Barangay Bongalonan.

Authorities meanwhile waded through waist-deep flooding in Barangay Limbo, Sultan Kudarat in the middle of the night to help save residents.

“Actually, galing ito sa mga kabundukan. Sa creek siya dumaan, nag-overflow. Ito na siya,” a rescuer said when asked where the flooding came from.

(Actually, it came from the mountains. It passed through the creek and it overflowed. This is it now.)

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection, at least 15 individuals were rescued in the area, many of whom were children.

Parts of the municipality of Pikit in Cotabato were also submerged in floods due to the persistent rainfall since Monday.

About 15,000 families were affected due to the flooding in Cotabato.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Sub-Station Maasim had to rescue two fishermen in Maasim, Sarangani after their boat flipped over due to the rough sea conditions.

Several houses in the province were also destroyed by fallen trees.

Meanwhile, a landslide caused by localized thunderstorms was reported in Barangay Bangaan in Banaue, Ifugao. Clearing operations were ongoing in the area.

Storm Agaton made landfall over Calicoan Island in Guiuan at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.

At 5 p.m., state weather bureau PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 in the following areas:

• the central and southern portions of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Llorente, General Macarthur, Hernani, Balangiga, Lawaan, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan),
• the central and southern portions of Samar (San Jose de Buan, San Jorge, Tarangnan, Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Hinabangan, Calbiga, Pinabacdao, Villareal, Daram, Zumarraga, Talalora, Santa Rita, Basey, Marabut, San Sebastian),
• Biliran,
• the northern and eastern portions of Leyte (Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City, Alangalang, Tunga, Jaro, Kananga, Ormoc City, Santa Fe, Palo, Pastrana, Dagami, Tanauan, Tabontabon, Tolosa, Dulag, Mayorga, Macarthur, Abuyog, Mahaplag, Javier, La Paz, Julita, Burauen)
• the northern portion of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon)

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 was raised over:

• the southern portion of Masbate (Dimasalang, Palanas, Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Placer, Cawayan)
• the rest of Eastern Samar,
• the rest of Samar,
• Northern Samar,
• the rest of Leyte,
• Southern Leyte,
• the northeastern portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, Bantayan Islands, Bogo City, San Remigio, Tabogon, Borbon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan) including Camotes Island, and
• the eastern portion of Bohol (Buenavista, Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Guindulman, Candijay, Mabini, Alicia, Ubay, San Miguel, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Trinidad, Bien Unido, Talibon, Jetafe)
• Surigao del Norte
• the rest of the Dinagat Islands

— Giselle Ombay/DVM, GMA News