The search and rescue operation continues for the five individuals who were swept away by floodwaters in Carmen town, northern Cebu on Monday, July 8. | Photo from Mayor Carlo Villamor FB
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A total of 100 personnel have joined the search for the five persons who remained missing after their vehicle was swept away by flash floods in Carmen town, northern Cebu on Monday, July 8.
This was revealed by Engineer Roger Suico, head of the Carmen Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), in an interview with Alan Domingo of Balitang Bisdak posted on his social media page.
According to Suico, 100 personnel are now assisting in the search and rescue operation that began on Monday for the Carmen flash floods victims.
Among these are DRRMO personnel from Danao and Catmon, Cebu City Coastguard, Danao firefighters, and members of the Philippine Army.
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Moreover, Suico said that the local government has agreed to provide drones to help the search for the victims of the Carmen flash floods .
Suico relayed that they are now focusing their search on the river in Brgy. Luyang, where two of the victims were found dead.
He explained that this was because their search turned out negative despite circling the 6-kilometer river in Brgy. Cantumog three times.
At past 5:00 p.m. on Monday, the pickup truck containing 17 individuals was cruising on a road beside a river which overflowed. The driver lost track of the concrete road which was now covered with raging flood waters until the vehicle fell into the river in Brgy. Cantumog.
The victims were on their way home to Brgy. Cantacung after a party at a mountain resort in Barangay Natimao-an.
According to Suico, the vehicle possibly failed to support the weight while facing the surge of water in the river.
The vehicle then got stuck on a big rock several meters away, which gave 10 of the passengers time to get off.
They were rescued and brought to the rural health unit for psychosocial intervention.
The 10 people who were rescued from the Carmen flash floods were: Ranilo Hermoso, 44; the driver of the vehicle; Debie Hermoso, 40; Jojielyn Tungal, 39; Jasmine Gica, 37; 4 six-year-old girls; an 11-year-old girl; and a 16-year-old girl.
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Meanwhile, operatives retrieved the body of an 11-year-old in the Luyang River a few hours later.
On Tuesday, July 9, they found the pregnant Rhesamie Ypil Costan, 26, in the seawaters off Luyang.
As of this writing, emergency personnel are still searching for the remaining five missing passengers of the Carmen flashflood: Elmer Costan, 25; an 11-year-old girl; a 12-year-old boy; a 13-year-old girl; and a 15-year-old boy.
The 10 rescued persons were already taken home on the morning of Tuesday, July 9, added Suico.
Following this incident, Suico advised residents not to be complacent and to refrain from traversing river waters during bad weather.