1 drowned, another electrocuted due to ‘Huaning’

Tropical storm “Huaning” entered the Philippine area of responsibility. (PNA photo)

LAOAG CITY, July 31 (PNA)— Four year-old Anthony Barcena Jr. of Dungtal village, this city, was drowned on Sunday as tropical storm “Huaning” entered the Philippine area of responsibility and typhoon “Gorio” exited on the same day.

Anthony’s father, in a radio interview, said he was not aware that his son went to the irrigation canal near their house. He later found him drowning at about 9a.m. Sunday. The victim was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

At the height of strong winds with light to moderate rainfall, Randy Baay, 32, of Cavintaran, Davila village in Pasuquin town, went to rescue his cow but was electrocuted, according to a report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Resiliency Council.

About 297 persons living in the coastal and low lying areas of Pasuquin, Batac, Currimao, Laoag, and San Nicolas towns were also preemptively evacuated to safer ground.

Some of the evacuees opted to stay with their relatives while others went to village and municipal halls.

Due to uprooted trees and fallen branches that automatically shut down transmission lines, all villages in the municipalities of Bangui, Bacarra and Pagudpud remain with no power supply as of this posting while some villages in Pasuquin, Currimao, western part of Laoag, Dingras, and Paoay experienced power interruption on Sunday.

Globe Telecom signal in Vintar and PLDT telephone lines servicing Dingras town were also unavailable on Sunday.

Seven houses made of light materials in the coastal villages of Dilavo and Davila, Pasuquin towns were also partially damaged including one in Billoca, Batac City.