Twenty people were killed and 10 were injured after a truck fell into a ravine in an isolated village of T’boli, South Cotabato.
Rolly Doane Aquino, South Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office operations head, the incident happened at past 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, when an Isuzu truck that rolled downhill in Barangay Lamsalome, T’boli lost its brakes.
The truck fell around 80 to 100 meters from the main road. Aquino said 15 died on the spot while the others were rushed to the Upper Valley Community Hospital (UVCH) in Surallah town.
“The victims suffered severe head trauma and multiple body fracture”, he said.
He also added that nine of the injured individuals were rushed to South Cotabato Provincial Hospital in Koronadal City while the other one was bought to the Dagang Hospital In T’boli. He also said they are still monitoring the condition of other critical patients.
T’boli Mayor Dibu Tan said the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle after its brakes malfunctioned. The truck was carrying 30 people who just came from a family reunion.
He also said that they will study the possibility of banning heavy vehicles from taking the route because of the steep incline and hairpin turns.
