A worker cuts up a fallen tree while heavy equipment (in background) works to clear debris and soil after a mountainside eroded due to heavy rains brought about by typhoon Ineng, along Kennon road, a main road leading to Baguio City on Saturday.
AFP PhOTO
Ilocos Norte under ‘state of calamity’
At least seven people were killed while thousands fled to higher ground as powerful typhoon Ineng (international name: Goni) brought torrential rains to the northern Philippines, triggering landslides and floods, officials said Saturday.
Six people died in Mountain Province and Benguet in the northern highlands after they were buried in rocks and mud.
The NDRRMC identified the casualties as: Eycar Manid-ing Mayon, 10 of Namatec, Sabangan, Mountain Province; Eric Celo, 26 and Markim Celo, 21 of Gambang, Bakun, Benguet; Michael Felix Guingaban, 58 of Labayan, Bangao, Buguias, Benguet; Glen Poloc Baldasan, 27 of Geweng, Cabitan, Mankayan, Benguet and Michael Martin Lagasan of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur.
A falling mango tree fatally hit Herminio Taguyo Jr., 47 of Pinili, Ilocos Norte on Friday.
Benguet Gov. Nestor Pongwan however identified Noli Galidan and Nova Mae Tuazon as among those killed in a landslide but their names were not listed in the official NDRMMC report obtained by the Times.
The NDRRMC report also listed five injured while two were missing in flooded areas.
A total of 1,194 families or 5,416 people were evacuated from their homes in Regions 1, 2 and the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
Abra
In the northern province of Abra, two straight days of heavy rains caused a major river to overflow, Governor Eustaquio Bersamin said.
At least six families were trapped in riverbank villages and will be rescued, he said.
“The rains were much stronger than we expected. The Abra River has turned into an ocean,” Bersamin told DZMM radio.
Thirteen domestic flights were cancelled on Saturday, the disaster council said.
Ilocos Norte
The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has declared the province under a state of calamity.
In a special session presided over by Vice Governor Angelo Marcos Barba on Saturday, members of the provincial board unanimously approved a resolution declaring the entire province under a state of calamity at about 2:12 p.m.
Due to heavy flooding, thousands of households in low-lying villages in the province remain underwater while some villages remain isolated as of this posting.
Based on initial report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), over 40,998 individuals or 9,402 families, covering 136 villages in Ilocos Norte are now affected due to flash flood.
Aside from one casualty and one injured due to a fallen mango tree in Pinili town at 10:30 am on Friday, Ilocos Norte’s search and rescue teams have yet to find one missing person identified as Jay-Ar Mallari, 24, in Barangay Mariquet, Solsona town.
As of 5 a.m. Saturday, light to moderate rains still prevails in the province under public storm signal no. 2.
The PDRRMC continues to conduct evacuations in areas threatened by flash floods due to washed out dikes and swollen rivers.
In Pallas Valley, Vintar town, at least three houses in Barangay Ester were partially covered by mudslide, according to Mayor Jose Foronda on Saturday.
Since Friday, the PDRRMC along with the various MDRRMCs responded to at least eight rescue operations and evacuated families in Barangays Manalpac, Nagpatpatan, Sta. Ana and Bagbag in Solsona, Catagtaguen in Banna, Cabaroan in Bacarra, Capangdanan in Pinili, Elizabeth, San Esteban, and Baresbes in Dingras and Barangay Loing in Piddig.
A tornado was also reported in Barangay Caunayan, Pagudpud that blown-off some GI sheets of a covered court here while a house was partially damaged in San Antonio, Sarrat.
While communication lines are generally okay in the entire province, power is still out in the rural villages of Batac City, some areas of Laoag City, Bacarra, Piddig, Sarrat, Dingras, Solsona, Pasuquin, Burgos and Pagudpud.
Due to fallen trees, roads were temporary closed in Barangays Magnuang, Billoca and at the Batac City market on Friday.
So far, the PDRRMC has initially recorded estimated damages worth P7.6 million on agriculture while estimated damages on infrastructure have yet to be assessed and evaluated.
Nueva Ecija
At least 10 houses were damaged Friday due to strong winds brought by Typhoon Ineng in Barangay Piut, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.
Based on the latest report from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), four houses were totally destroyed while six others were partially damaged, affecting a total of 37 persons.
The RDRRMC also reported that the road along Daang Maharlika in Barangay Putlan, also in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, is not passable to all types of vehicles due to occasional to continuous mudflow coming from the mountain side as a result of intermittent light to moderate rains.
The maintenance crew of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was conducting clearing operation in the area.
Meanwhile, Josefina Timoteo, chairperson of the RDRRMC and regional director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region 3, has advised all local disaster risk reduction and management councils (LDRRMCs) to continuously monitor the situation and submit report any untoward incidents in their respective areas.
Typhoon Ineng is the ninth out of an average of 20 that hit the Philippines each year and is now heading to Taiwan, the weather bureau said.
Taiwan has evacuated people from outlying islands and troops are on standby for disaster relief as it takes precautions against heavy rains expected this weekend.
With ernie esconde, thom picaña, tina ganzon, william jun garcia,