Boy drowns in Catanduanes flood

By Ephraim Aguilar
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 16:24:00 01/13/2009
INQUIRER.net

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines--A five-year-old boy drowned in the rising floods in Catanduanes brought by the week-long rains in the island province, according to reports reaching the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol on Tuesday morning.

Raffy Alejandro, Bicol civil defense director, identified the boy as John Mark Tatad of Gigmoto town.

Families affected by the landslides and floods have reached 14,643 or 74,701 persons in 162 villages. Some 217 houses have been reported damaged.

The Catanduanes Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council is still distributing relief goods in the form of rice noodles and canned goods to victims in the towns of Bagamanoc, Baras, Bato, San Miguel, and Viga.

The relief assistance amounted to P432,000, Alejandro said.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development also delivered 100 food packs and clothing.