Search for 32 fishers from Ilocos, CL go on in wake of Kabayan

Even as tropical storm “Kabayan” exited the country on Saturday, authorities are still searching for 32 fishermen from the Ilocos and Central Luzon who went missing after going out to sea.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said majority of the fishermen came from Pangasinan, while the others were from La Union and Aurora.

While there are no fatalities yet from “Kabayan,” the 32 fishermen have not yet been found despite relentless search and rescue operations.

In its report on Sunday, the agency said the victims went missing on five separate instances from September 30, Wednesday, to October 3, Saturday.

Last Wednesday, the M/V Flores went out to sea in Dasol, Pangasinan, with 10 of its crew, despite knowing of the rough seas that came with the tropical storm, which was then a low pressure area.

Two days later, the captain of the boat relayed to the Philippine Coast Guard that their boat was sinking 47 nautical miles west of Bolinao, Pangasinan. The boat sank with all crewmen on board.

On Saturday, five fishermen aboard an un-motorized banca went missing in the vicinity of Agno, Pangasinan. In a separate incident, four bancas with 14 fishermen also went missing in the vicinity of the same town.

In Agoo, La Union, a banca went out to sea on Thursday, with two fishermen on board and have not yet returned.

Meanwhile, a fisherman has not yet been found while 13 of his crewmates were rescued after going missing on Thursday in Baler, Aurora.

The NDRRMC said a total of 31 fishermen were rescued from rough seas in Infanta and Bolinao in Pangasinan; Agoo in La Union; and Baler in Aurora.

Two people were reported injured in the Ilocos region while there were no fatalities so far.

A total of 4,565 families or 22,368 people in the provinces of La Union, Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales were affected by the tropical storm.

Seven evacuation centers are still housing 1,391 families or 6,480 people in these provinces.

The agency added that 50 barangays (villages) were still flooded in the provinces of Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Pampanga, as of Sunday. Power outages are being experienced in Pangasinan, Aurora and Benguet, according to the agency.

In the provinces of Pangasinan and Aurora, a total of P1,120,716.59 in damage to agriculture was sustained due to the tropical storm.

“Kabayan” also destroyed 131 houses in Aurora and Nueva Ecija, while 12 roads and two bridges are still not passable due to landslides and floods in Central Luzon and the Cordillera region.