16 dead, 9 rescued in Iloilo road mishap

ILOILO CITY — A passenger jeepney carrying more than 30 people was swept away by a swolen river in Igbaras town, leaving at least 16 passengers dead.

The jeepney was reportedly crossing a bridge in a mountainous part of Igbaras, about 430 kilometers southeast of Manila, when a flashflood swept into the Tangyan River, according to police officer Norberto Elardo.

Disaster officials and rescue groups have been in a mad scramble since yesterday afternoon to save 30 people still missing.

Eligio Calaor of the Office of Civil Defense said that as of 5 p.m. yesterday, the bodies of 16 people have been retrieved. Residents of communities along the Tangian River were able to rescue nine people.

Calaor identified the casualties as Zenaida Escobin, Rodelia Pait, Rufino Ipalan, his child Kent Anthony Ipalan, Rodolfo Ermoso, Domingo Embillado, Josefina Epalan, Encarnacion Jabilona, Aida Elmaguin, Estelita Mampula, Riza Elumba, Remedio Eseo, Evangeline Embiado, Caryl Vien Epalan, Virginia Eguelos, and an unidentified woman.

Calaor said the jeepney attempted to cross the swollen river in Sitio Sunsungon, Barangay Barasan when its engine conked out halfway. Rampaging current washed away the jeepney at around 11 a.m. yesterday.

The people on board were on their way home from a funeral. At the Rural Health Office in the town proper, the Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo reported that there were seven bodies covered with canvass. Continuous rains caused the river to overflow, topping the bridge. According to reports, some of the casualties were recovered from barangays as far as 10 kilometers down the river from where the jeepney fell.

According to Calaor, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police and the 1st Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are still conducting search and retrieval operations in the area. —  With AP