Three dead in Caraga floods

BUTUAN CITY — The death toll in the Christmas flooding in the Caraga region rose to three as a farmer in Agusan del Sur was drowned by strong currents of the Agusan River while a driver in Claver, Surigao del Norte was also drowned when the bridge he was passing through was suddenly washed away by strong currents yesterday morning.

The regional office of the Civil Defense here earlier reported that a 22-year-old farmer in Barangay Patong was the first casualty of the flashfloods that hit San Miguel town in Surigao del Sur.

The local Disaster Coordinating Council in the area identified the victim as Salvador Elicona, 22, a resident of Barangay Patong, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur.

Elicona reportedly tried to salvage logs washed away by strong currents of the Tago River and was carried away along with the logs he tried to salvage.

DPWH Caraga Regional Director Romeo Momo told The STAR that the other victim was crossing the Nilablaban Bridge in Claver, Surigao del Norte when the bridge suddenly collapsed.

"The driver died on the spot when he was trapped inside the car and a wooden structure hit him eventually. I am still awaiting the official report from the area as to the identity of the victim," Momo said.

He added that motorists, especially those driving smaller vehicles, were stranded by the floods in different national highways.

Momo placed damage to government infrastructure like bridges, dikes, and roads to P10 million.