Woman killed, 3 kids missing in Compostela Valley rains

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—A woman was killed and three children were missing when a landslide and flashfloods wrought by torrential rains hit Compostela Valley, police and local officials said on Monday.

About 58 families were also evacuated to safer ground as the Agusan river burst its banks, inundating rice lands and banana plantations in Monkayo and Compostela towns, according to Senior Superintendent Aaron Aquino, provincial police, chief.

Aquino told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone that a landslide occurred in the gold-rich Mt. Diwalwal village in Monkayo town Sunday night, burying a house and its occupant, Apolinaria Poras, 60.

Her body was retrieved by rescuers several hours later.

Aquino said search operations were continuing to locate three girls who went missing while playing along the swollen banks of a stream in Purok (zone) 1-A, also in Mt. Diwalwal.

Aquino identified the missing children as Lyn-lyn Arado, 8; and Angel Lague, 8 and her younger sister Rowena, 6.

The affected families in Compostela and Monkayo were temporarily housed at the towns’ respective gymnasiums while local authorities have already provided assistance to the victims, Aquino said. (report from Frinston Lim)