3 dead, 6 missing as ’Ambo’ passes Philippines

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MANILA, Philippines – Three children were killed and six fishermen were missing after typhoon “Ambo” international code: Mawar” brought heavy rains and rough waters to parts of the Philippines, the civil defense office said Monday.

Two siblings were carried off by an overflowing river in the western island of Palawan while a seven-year-old boy drowned in a river east of Manila, the office’s deputy director, Florentino Sison, said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) earlier identified the two fatalities in Palawas as Princess Abrera, 2, and Shawn Abrera, 4, both from Sitio Kiwit, Brgy. Sagrada, Busuanga, Palawan.

Two persons, identified as Cesar Bravo and Federico Gutierrez from Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City, suffered minor injuries when a rip-rapping project eroded and damaged their houses, NDRRMC said.

Five workers of Manila Water Company suffered injuries when the foundation of a bridge they were working on collapsed in Barangay Ampid 2, San Mateo, Rizal.

Meanwhile, a search is continuing for six fishermen on three separate boats who went missing after setting off before the storm hit, he added.

Thirty-two fishermen were rescued in rough waters off the eastern island of Catanduanes on Saturday after their boat ran out of fuel during the storm.

“Ambo” became a typhoon early on Sunday with maximum winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) an hour as it passed near the eastern side of the Philippines.

Although “Ambo” did not hit the country directly, it brought heavy rains, particularly over eastern parts of the archipelago, raising fears of flashfloods and landslides.

As the typhoon moved away from the Philippines, the government weather station warned of “gale force winds” in the northern and central coasts of the country.

“Ambo” was 660 kilometers northeast of Manila just before dawn Monday, moving northeast at 15 kph.

Originally posted at 10:36 am | Monday, June 4, 2012