STRONG gusts of winds and rains of the southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced by tropical storm Bebinca toppled trees and destroyed houses in Lanao del Sur and killed four children who were going home after attending madrasah in Malabang town.
Police Staff Sergeant Jabber Macasasar of the Malabang police station said the children were going home after attending the madrasah in Barangay Cabasaran in Malabang town when an old tree by the side of the road fell because of the strong winds.
Macasasar said the four children, ages between 11 years old and 14, were crushed to death on the pedicab or rickshaw they were riding. He said the driver and two other children were rushed to the nearby Dr. Serapio Montaner Al-Haj Memorial Hospital.
Lanao del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Office duty officer Shal Sambitory said the province has been battered by rains and strong gusts of winds since Friday and 20 houses in Binidayan town have already been damaged.
“Pa bugso bugso. But the rains are strong and the gusts of winds go up to 30 kilometers per hour. Sambilatory told Gold Star Daily.
He said their teams are on alert following instructions from Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong who ordered immediate relief assistance to those affected.
In a report last Saturday night, the Lanao del Sur PDRRMO said workers were sent to clear the Narciso Ramos Highway in Malabang of fallen trees toppled by the strong winds.
