A social worker documents what is left of a tricycle ferrying by Arabic school students after it was hit by a fallen tree in Malabang, Lanao del Sur on Friday afternoon. (PHOTO FROM MSSD-BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – Four children died while three others injured when the tricycle they were riding was crushed by a falling tree amid a heavy downpour spawned by the southwest monsoon in Malabang, Lanao del Sur on Friday.
The victims were heading for an Arabic school in downtown Malabang when an Acacia tree was toppled by strong winds at about 2 p.m. and hit the passing tricycle with the students on board, the Malabang police reported.
The fatalities were identified as Jehana Cali Alikan, 13, Janna Cali Tantaon, 12, Sittie Hana Manioba, 7, and Alysa Airoden, 15.
Critically injured were tricycle driver Napi Abdulazis, 18, Saila Amerol, 9, and an unidentified passenger.
All the victims are residents of Barangay Cabasaran in Malabang.
Lanao del Sur Provincial Social Welfare Officer Hadja Linang Pangkat has led a team of social workers from the Ministry of Social Services and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MSSD-BARMM) in providing financial assistance to the families of the fatalities and medical asssistance top the survivors.
Monsoon rains in Maguindanao
The monsoon rains in the past two days have triggered flashfloods in several areas in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte.
An acacia tree fell due to strong winds and heavy rains and destroyed an outpost of the Cotabato City Police Office in PC Hill before dawn Saturday. Several posts of the Cotabato Light and Power Company.
In the upland town of Upi, Maguindanao del Norte, several homes were submerged by flood waters due to day-long moderate to heavy downpour on Friday and Saturday dawn.
The road connecting Maguindanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur was rendered impassable on Friday afternoon due to landslides.
Electric posts and trees were toppled and power was cut off since Friday night along the Narciso Ramos Highway that connects Matanog in Maguindanao del Norte and Kapatagan in Lanao del Sur.
Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abduraof Macacua has ordered the mobilization of all heavy equipment of the provincial engineering office for clearing operations.
In North Kabuntalan town, also in Maguinadanao del Norte, Mayor Ramil Dilangalen said the municipal disaster office implemented forced evacuation of residents in Barangay Damatog and Barangay Gayonga as flash floods hit the villages.
Local government workers of Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao del Norte help trapped civilians cross a flooded road following heavy down pour that triggered floods. (Photo from N. Kabutnalan MDRRMO)
In Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur, Mayor Datu Tungkang Midtimbang has ordered the local police to shut a portion of the national highway going to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat which was heavily flooded.
In Lebak, the road linking the town to Cotabato City was blocked by huge rocks, mud and fallen trees in Barangay Bolebak.