Ompong causes floods, landslides classes suspended, three boys die

CEBU, Philippines -  A 10-year-old boy died of electrocution and two other minors drowned in a creek, all in Iloilo City yesterday morning as heavy rains brought by typhoon Ompong flooded the city and caused landslides in two towns of Iloilo.

Police said the boy, amid the downpour, was playing alone near an abandoned kiosk under a coconut tree, when he stepped on a live wire lying on the ground from an electrical post. He was rushed to the Iloilo Doctors Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

At around 11:50 a.m., two of three boys, aged 15, drowned after they jumped off a bridge for a swim at Calajunan Creek in Mandurriao district of the city. The current was strong to cause the drowning of the two whose bodies were found, three hours after, in a river at Oton town of Iloilo.

The heavy rains also flooded the city prompting Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to announce, at 6 a.m. the suspension of classes in all levels of both public and private schools.

Local government officials also suspended classes in public schools in Passi City and the towns of Ajuy, Tigbauan, Banate, Pavia, Barotac Viejo, Dumangas, Sta. Barbara, Calinog, Maasin, Oton, Alimodian, Bingawan, Dueñas and San Joaquin.

Several areas in Iloilo City were passable to light vehicles due to flooding, and evacuation of at least 222 families was implemented in the districts of Molo, Jaro, Arevalo and Mandurriao.

A bridge in San Joaquin town, connecting commuters to and from the provinces of Antique and Iloilo, was closed after it slipped due to heavy rains. A team from the Department of Public Works and Highways immediately installed steel plates to allow light vehicles to pass through. After several hours though, the DPWH decided to close again the bridge when another slippage occurred at the other side of the approach.

According to the Office of Civil Defense-Region 6, the bridge was impassable to all types of vehicle causing disruption of traffic to commuters.

Landslides were also reported at Barangay Bunsag in Lambunao, Iloilo, and at Barangays Bondolan and Paho in Alimodian town. The roads in these areas were rendered impassable yesterday. (FREEMAN)