By Henry Empeño | October 25, 2024

IBA, Zambales — A crewmember of a tugboat drowned off the coast of Masinloc, Zambales as Typhoon Kristine battered the coastal province of Zambales with gusts of heavy rain and gale-force winds.

A report from the Zambales Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) identified the fatality as Benjie B. Rodriguez, 40 years old, and a resident of Barangay Danawan, Magsaysay, Palawan.

The PDRRMO said that Rodriguez fell overboard from the tugboat SL Sual 2 at about 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 23, as gale warning was hoisted over the seaboards of Zambales.

It was not immediately known whether the tugboat was sailing or anchored off the coast when the accident occurred.

Zambales PDRRMO head Rolex Estella said that sea travel suspension has been ordered over the province last Wednesday, Oct. 23, as advised by the Philippine Coast Guard.

He added that Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. had mobilized disaster units as early as Tuesday and activated emergency operations centers in both the northern and southern sectors in preparation for the typhoon.

The PDRRMO head said a total of 3,996 individuals affected by the typhoon had sought shelter Thursday and Friday at evacuation centers all over the province. Most of them are in the northernmost town of Santa Cruz, which listed 2,575 evacuees.

Estella also said that Typhoon Kristine damaged P80,785 worth of rice crops, left 19 houses partially damaged and 3 houses totally destroyed, and wrecked one fishing boat worth P50,000.

Roads, bridges, and communication networks in the province, however, remained operational even at the height of Typhoon Kristine, Estella said. 