Boy missing, 267 families evacuated due to floods in Batangas

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines – A 10-year-old boy from this city has been missing since Wednesday afternoon and at least 267 families were evacuated due to floods in Bauan town following two days of heavy rains in Batangas.

The boy, identified as Mark Daniel Mateo, was swept away by a flashflood while crossing a spillway in the village of Sampaga in this city, said Superintendent Arcadio Ronquillo, Batangas police information officer, in a phone interview Thursday.

Ronquillo said a search and rescue operation for the missing boy was still ongoing.

Ginette Segismundo, Batangas provincial information officer, said that 118 families from barangay (villages) Danglayan, San Roque, Manghinao Proper, San Pedro, San Andres and Sta. Maria in Bauan were affected by the flood caused by the non-stop rains.

The evacuees sheltered at the San Roque Elementary School and at a daycare center in Bauan, she said.

In Batangas City, affected families are 149 composed of 367 individuals, are from villages Pallocan East, Gulod Labac and Cuta. They are evacuated at Pallocan West National High School, Gulod Itaas, Libjo Elementary School and Cuta Barangay Hall.