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LEGAZPI CITY: Albay Gov. Joey Salceda sought the assistance of the
Philippine Navy in Bicol for the distribution of relief goods in
Manito town after eight major landslides hit the area, which
resulted to its isolation for three days.
In an aerial survey conducted by disaster
officials led by Salceda on Friday morning, the roads to Manito town
were completely impassable to all types of vehicles.
“The alternative was to deliver relief
goods to the people by sea through the assistance of the Philippine
Navy,” Salceda told The Manila Times.
Salceda said the towns most affected in Albay
were Manito, with 5,422 families followed by Libon, 17,253 families,
Malinao, 12,178, and Polangui Rinconada with 4, 082 families with
the total of 38,935 families.
The provincial government of Albay initially
dispatched at least 600 bags of rice, 250 boxes of sardines and 600
boxes of noodles for Manito town through Philippine Navy assistance.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol
reported that heavy rains that poured over Sorsogon province for the
past eight days left four persons killed. Massive floods and
landslides destroyed houses and crops, with some six municipalities
isolated.
Raffy Alejandro, OCD regional director in Bicol
said that his office received a report that thousands of travelers
and motorists remained stranded as of 10 a.m. on Friday at the
Maharlika Highway, which connects to the towns of Bulan, Sta.
Magdalena and Matnog, the jumping board between Luzon and the
Visayas and Mindanao Islands. In Magallanes town, landslides buried
alive a family of four in Sitio Dumalwa, Barangay Bacalon.
Several houses in Pilar village were also swept
away by rampaging waters at the height of heavy rains Thursday
night, but no casualties were reported although vast rice fields
were destroyed.
-- Rhaydz B. Barcia
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