INQUIRER FILES
TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, Philippines — Authorities on Tuesday confirmed that two fishers who were reported missing in Can-avid, Eastern Samar, have safely returned home.
The municipal disaster risk reduction and management office said Pio Morallos, 59, and Christino Olalia, 19, both residents of Barangay Rawis, Can-avid town, arrived home at around 5:45 p.m. on Monday.
The two said their boat suffered engine trouble, causing them to drift toward the coastal waters of Taft, Eastern Samar, where they were rescued and assisted by another fisherman.
The two fishermen were reported missing after failing to return from a fishing trip amid heavy rains and rough sea conditions brought by a prevailing shear line affecting Eastern Visayas.
READ: Shear line, amihan to bring heavy rains over parts of Luzon, Visayas
The Philippine Coast Guard Station (CGS) Eastern Samar said the incident was reported at around 12 p.m. on Monday, February 9, by Ivy Caspe, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (MDRRMO) of Can-avid.
The two fishermen left for a fishing venture at around 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 8, in the vicinity waters off Barangay Rawis.
Persistent heavy rains brought by the shear line disrupted daily activities across several parts of Eastern Visayas on Tuesday.
In some vulnerable areas, the rains caused flooding and landslides and local authorities were prompted to declare the suspension of classes and work as a precautionary measure.
In Borongan City, the capital of Eastern Samar, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that 2,102 families, or 7,114 individuals, were affected by flooding and landslide incidents.
Flooding was also reported in the towns of Arteche, Dolores, Maslog, and Jipapad.
In Leyte, classes were suspended in the cities of Ormoc, Baybay, and Tacloban, as well as in several municipalities such as Albuera, Burauen, Javier, Carigara, Tanauan, Barugo, Dagami, Tolosa, and Inopacan.
Several towns in Southern Leyte, including Hinabangan, Silago, and Bontoc, also canceled classes in both public and private schools at all levels.
Meanwhile, the PCG ordered the suspension of localized sea travel in parts of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar due to rough sea conditions brought by the inclement weather. /cb