Vlogger’s final post laments rain before drowning in Capiz

By Jennifer P. Rendon

BACOLOD CITY — “Tama nana nga ulan” (enough of the rains) was the final Facebook post of 23-year-old vlogger Mary Mae Colas Urdelas hours before she drowned while crossing a creek in flood-hit Ivisan, Capiz, as Tropical Storm Ramil battered the province.

The incident occurred around 5 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Sitio Bagaas Almon, Barangay Malocloc Sur, Ivisan.

Urdelas, also a school canteen worker, was walking home with her brother and sister-in-law when they attempted to cross a flooded creek in their village.

Barangay Captain Allan de los Santos said a pole had been set up for them to hold on to while crossing the rushing water.

Her brother had already made it across when her sister-in-law slipped.

Urdelas turned back to help, but also lost her footing and was swept away by the strong current.

While her sister-in-law managed to reach safety, Urdelas was carried away by the flood.

Her brother, a barangay tanod (watchman) of Malocloc Sur, immediately informed de los Santos and asked for assistance to rescue her.

By 8 p.m., authorities were told that Urdelas’s body had been found roughly a kilometer from where she was swept away.

The Ivisan Municipal Police Station said it received the report at around the same time and coordinated with the Ivisan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for the rescue and retrieval operation.

“Due to the risk to responders and inaccessibility of roads, they were advised to wait for the flooding to subside,” the police report said.

Capiz provincial police director Colonel Albert Tapulao said no other fatalities have been reported due to Tropical Storm Ramil.