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MANILA, Philippines – (2ND UPDATE) A miner was killed while 5 others remain missing after flood waters filled a tunnel they were working in on Saturday morning, August 13. One other worker was rescued.
The construction workers were inside the Sumag River Diversion Tunnel, which is being built by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) at Sitio Sumag in General Nakar, Quezon province.
According to reports from the 48th Infrantry Batallion and the General Nakar Responders, water from the Sumag River overflowed and caused the coffer dam - which temporarily diverts the river - to collapse at around 6:30 AM on August 13. The fast rising water rushed into the diversion tunnel trapping the 7 workers who were identified as safety engineer Roland Sanchez, geological mapper Zenith Picat, and miners Danny Hornois, Simeon Sig-Od, Salvador Pacling, Fredie Sanadan, and David Guiag.
Other tunnel workers and soldiers immediately conducted a search and rescue operation. They were able to save Pacling but found the lifeless body of Sig-Od on Saturday evening.
The Philippine Disaster Resiliance Foundation said rescue operations were hampered by the poor visibility and difficult access. A rescue team from the Philex Mining Corporation was sent to the area to look for possible survivors.
The Sumag River Diversion Tunnel is part of the Umiray-Angat Transbasin Rehabilitation Project, a P717-million infrastructure project to provide more source water for the Angat Dam.
The tunnel project's contractor is Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corporation (CAVDEAL). – Rappler.com