NDRRMC: Fisherman is Storm Marce's 1st fatality

A fisherman initially reported as missing was the first fatality in the wake of Tropical Storm Marce (Gaemi), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Friday. The NDRRMC identified the fisherman as Dante Sarasa, 59, whose body was found at 1 a.m. Thursday at the shore of Barangay Wawa in Nasugbu, Batangas. "(Sarasa and some fellow fishermen) were on their way back home when the motor bancas they were riding capsized due to big waves and strong winds brought by Tropical Storm Marce," it said. An earlier report on dzBB radio said two other fishermen, Gerardo Melgar, 39, and Ariel Cosare, 33, were rescued. The NDRRMC said the banca capsized 9 a.m. last Wednesday. The NDRRMC also said Marce caused a storm surge between 8 and 11 p.m. Wednesday along the coastal areas of Barangay San Miguel in San Antonio town in Zambales. It affected eight families or 32 people, and damaged 23 houses, the NDRRMC said. Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said Marce also caused at least two more roads to become impassable in Mindoro Occidental and Kalinga. These included: - Barokan-Sahing section of Km 306+700 in Barangay Sta. Lucia, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, hardly passable due to scoured roadway - Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road in Kalinga, not passable to landslide Other road sections earlier declared impassable included: - Tabuk-Banaue Road, Gimma Section in Kalinga - Mompong Bridge K0303+227, Mindoro West Coast Road in Brgy. Tuba, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro - Baytown Road in Taytay, Rizal, impassable to light vehicles The NDRRMC said Bulacan is monitoring the water levels of Angat and Ipo dams and advised communities in low-lying areas to be alert for possible increase in water level. In Aurora, the disaster risk reduction and management council is monitoring coastal areas for possible storm surges. — LBG, GMA News