Three missing due to typhoon “Goring,” says OCD

By Ronron
September 20, 2007

Three persons were reported missing by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) due to heavy flooding in the Western Visayas region when typhoon “Goring” prevailed in the country early this week.

Region VI OCD Officer-in-Charge Eligio Calaor said in a phone interview Thursday that the first two missing persons got swept by the sudden surge last September 17 at the Paliwan River in Bugasong, Antique.

They were identified as Edmar Jauod, 10, and Rizza Operiano, 9.

The third victim, Calaor said, is Analyn Laude, 28, who was also carried away by the current at the Macarena Creek in Patnongon town of the same province last Wednesday.

“As of this time, we have yet to receive a report from the provincial disaster councils regarding the condition of these three,” Calaor said yesterday afternoon.

There were no reports of deaths or injuries, he added.

Aside from the missing persons, Calaor reported also that 11 barangays in Iloilo City were affected by “Goring” due to flooding. A total of 1,242 families or 5,655 persons were affected, 985 of whom were brought to evacuation centers, he said.

The OCD main office in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City said 28 villages in Negros Occidental province were also affected by floods due to the continuous rains. The breakdown is as follows: one in Bago City, six in Ilog, four in Pulupandan, 10 in San Enrique and seven in Valladolid.

A total of 6,286 families or 31,430 persons from said province were affected, the OCD report said.

On September 17, a tornado incident also occurred in Bacolod City, damaging 23 houses (four totally and 19 partially) and affecting 23 families or 115 persons, the report said further.

Quoting the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the OCD said the continuous heavy rains in the western part of the country was due to the southwest monsoon that prevailed even if “Goring” already exited the Philippines on September 18./DMS