64-year-old rescued after being swept away while crossing Rizal spillway

A 64-year old senior citizen was swept away by strong currents while he was trying to cross a spillway in Rodriguez, Rizal.

In a "24 Oras" report by Jaime Santos, the elderly man was seen on the CCTV footage trying to cross the spillway. While another man was seen crossing safely, the senior citizen fell behind, struggling to get to the other side until he finally lost balance and fell into the water.

A few moments later, officials from Barangay San Rafael and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) responded to save the senior citizen.

Rescuers were tied to a rope as they rescued the old man.

“Nahihirapan lang po dahil kahit sabihin mong may part na mababaw, doon po sa malalim, nandoon po talaga ang malakas na current o agos ng tubig. Doon po kami nagtulung-tulong at tumawag na rin po sa MDRRMO para sa karagdagang salbabida at mga lubid,” San Rafael Barangay chairperson Judith Cruz said.

(It was hard because even if you say that there is a part that is shallow, in the parts that are deeper, that is where the strong currents are. That is where we helped each other and called the MDRRMO for additional life vests and ropes.)

Cruz urged citizens to refrain from going to prohibited areas for their own safety.

Barangay rescuer Rolando Domingo said that it was hard to cross the spillway, but they were able to use their equipment to rescue the senior citizen within a few minutes.

The barangay said that the victim lost consciousness, but was given first aid before being brought to the hospital.

Many parts of the country have experienced continuous rains due to the combined effects of Tropical Storm Maymay and the Southwest Monsoon. Several areas have reported experiencing widespread floods and landslides. —Jean Mangaluz/LDF, GMA News