7 die amid landslides, flood in Antipolo

Seven were reported dead in Antipolo, Rizal amid the onslaught of Tropical Storm Enteng in the country.

According to Emil Sumangil's report on "24 Oras," the Antipolo LGU said four died due to landslides while three drowned.

On Monday, a part of a hill in Sitio Hinapao in Daang Hari collapsed which buried the three victims while inside their house. 

The first one to be rescued was a nine-month-pregnant woman. The next one was a male and his younger sibling. 

They were still rushed to the hospital, but they did not make it. 

“Ngayon lang po talaga nangyari ‘yan….mga ala singko lumakas yung ulan,” said Salvacion Baranda, mother of the victims. 

(It was the first time it happened…the rain got stronger at around 5 a.m.) 

“Nagulat na lang po ako, yung pamangkin ko, doon din natulog sa bahay na yun, tumatakbo siya, sabi niya, ‘Tita, tulong!’, ‘Bakit?’ [...] Wala na nag-landslide nga daw po,” she added. 

(I was shocked because my niece/nephew who also slept at that house suddenly rushed towards me: ‘Tita, help!’ I asked, ‘Why?’ [....] But it’s already too late, there was a landslide.) 

The Antipolo City Risk Reduction and Management Office cordoned off the area of the incident as it was deemed a danger zone. But some residents are still trying to get their way inside. 

The local disaster response office later decided to implement a forced evacuation following the landslide incident. 

“Nagpatawag na kami ng pre-disaster risk meeting…LPA pa lang ito, nagbabala na tayo through our barangays. Pero kanina during the operations, may mga kababayan pa rin tayo na ayaw lumikas,” said Relly Bernardo, Antipolo CDRRMO Public Information Office chief. 

(We already held a pre-disaster risk meeting…When it was still an LPA, we already warned through our barangays. But earlier, we still have some residents who don’t want to evacuate.) 

According to the report, there were four reported deaths in Antipolo due to landslides. 

Meanwhile, three others died from flooding which also led some residents to find safety at rooftops. 

The street along Cogeo Village in Barangay Bagong Nayon became like a river because of the strong flood water current. 

A portion of a street in Sitio Taguisan 3 in the same barangay was also flooded.

PAGASA said that Enteng is forecast to maintain a tropical storm category during its traverse over Northern Luzon. 

It may intensify into a severe tropical storm by Tuesday afternoon or evening, it added. 

The state weather bureau said that Enteng may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday morning.