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At least 155 people are confirmed dead and 27 are
missing after Typhoon Frank ravaged the central and southern
Philippines, a Red Cross official said Sunday.
The toll does not include those
dead or missing from a ferry that sank in the central Philippines
with about 750 people aboard. Four people have been confirmed dead.
There are four survivors from that incident, but there is no report
on the fate of the rest.
The province of Iloilo has
suffered the heaviest losses after being hit by the typhoon on
Saturday, with 101 dead, Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard
Gordon said.
Other fatalities were recorded in
the provinces of Romblon, Cotabato, Antique and Capiz, he added.
In Maguindanao, 14 people drowned
and five others were reported missing as flash floods brought about
by heavy rains swept several towns in the province, according to the
National Disaster Coordinating Council.
Situation in Iloilo
Floodwaters in Iloilo rose so
swiftly that many residents were forced to take refuge on rooftops
or in the branches of tall trees, said provincial administrator
Manuel Mejorada.
The flooding eased Sunday,
allowing vehicles to reach once-flooded areas, he added.
More than 30,000 people had to be
evacuated, the administrator said as he toured the worst-hit areas.
Electricity was knocked out in
Iloilo and surrounding areas and officials do not expect power to be
restored for about a week.
The Air Force public information
chief, Gerry Zamudio, said also on Sunday that a C-130 aircraft
carrying relief goods intended for the typhoon victims in Iloilo is
on standby and is ready to take off as soon as the weather condition
improves.
Also, 11 helicopters are on
standby to help conduct aerial survey and help in the rescue
operations, he added.
In Metro Manila
Telephone lines and cell phone
towers were down in many areas.
Manila and surrounding areas were
lashed by the typhoon in the early hours of Sunday, with power being
knocked out in large parts of the city and many domestic and
international flights cancelled. At press time, regular flight
schedules have been restored, according to reports.
The typhoon has continued to move
northwest, passing Metropolitan Manila and over the northern half of
the main island of Luzon.
Typhoon Frank (known
internationally as “Fengshen”) was packing maximum winds of 120
kilometers per hour near the center. The storm was expected to move
northwest at 15 kilometers per hour.
Police, military mobilized
The Philippine Air Force has
dispatched four teams in Metro Manila to help in the clearing
operations, particularly in the cities of Manila and Parañaque.
The Philippine National Police
has alerted all its units for possible disaster rescue and relief
operations in areas affected by the typhoon. The national police
chief, Director General Avelino Razon Jr., activated “Oplan Sagip,”
its disaster management and response plan.
He said the police will lend
equipment and personnel to local government officials to assist in
rescue, evacuation and relief operations.
Razon also alerted the Criminal
Investigation and Detection Group to assist local police units in
monitoring prices of basic commodities in markets with help from the
local offices of the Department of Trade and Industry. They aim to
prevent unscrupulous traders, hoarders and profiteers from taking
advantage of the emergency situation, the police chief explained.
Executive Director Anthony Golez
of the National Disaster Coordinating Council said the agency has
yet to come up with the reports regarding the amount and extent of
damages caused by the typhoon.
--AFP AND JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA
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