8 dead, 4 missing in Albay landslide as 'Usman' swamps Bicolandia
Published Dec 29, 2018 11:45 am
By Niño Luces, Aaron Recuenco, and Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – Tropical depression “Usman” left at least eight people dead and four others missing, and submerged at least 66 villages in the Bicol region, and caused a landslide in Legaspi City when heavy rains poured over Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions – before it dissipated into a low-pressure area (LPA) Saturday morning.
VIGILANCE – Local residents ride on a boat while undertaking a rescue operation at a flooded
community in Bulan, Sorsogon on Saturday, December 29, as Tropical Depression Usman
brought heavy rains before it was downgraded to a Low Pressure Area (LPA). (EPA) Chief Inspector Malu Calubaquib, Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) spokesperson, said a landslide in Barangay San Francisco in Legazpi City in Albay at midnight Friday resulted in the death of Mauro Alegre, 26, his wife Mia, 20 and their three year-old son Marco. The casualties were asleep when the landslide occurred, a report said. A police report reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City said that about a dozen people were staying inside the house when it was hit by the landslide. At least 10 people survived and only sustained minor injuries. During the search and rescue operation, the bodies of three-year old Marco Alegre, 20-year old Mia Lorete and 26-year old Mauro Alegre were retrieved three hours after the incident. In Bulan town Sorsogon province, another landslide incident happened that claimed the life of Angelina Gerona, 91, a widow and a resident of Brgy Palale, Bulan town. Another landslide incident was recorded in Lagonoy town, in Camarines Sur province that killed Charles Las Penas, 51, and Charles Las Penas y Luzande, 11, both residents of Brgy Guibahoy, Lagonoy, Camarines Sur. According to Calubaquib, the incident happened around 2 a.m. on Saturday where victims were buried to death. At around 12:30 p.m. on the same date, a landslide also happened in Sitio Gaho, Brgy Osiao, Bacon District, Sorsogon City. Calubaquib said, more or less 7 identified only as checker and laborers of Tomas Rañola Construction was buried of landslide. "According to Punong Barangay Tio Jio of Brgy Osiao, Bacon, District, Sorsogon City, the TRC checker only identified in the name of Onyok gathered the victims to accompany him to their office in Brgy Pangpang, Sorsogon City to get their salary. The victims boarded a car from Brgy Osiao and upon reaching the place of incident, they decided to walk because the road was already not passable caused by heavy rain brought by typhoon “USMAN”. However, while they were walking, the soil beside the road suddenly eroded burying the victims," Calubaquib said. Meanwhile, according to Edgar Tumangan, rescuer of CDRRMO Sorsogon, during the rescue operations led by Ramil Marianito, CDRRMO chief and Christine Lee-Rodrigueza Balita, 2 died during the incident, 4 were safely rescued, while 4 are still missing. Fatalities were identified as Gilbert Desunia, 22, a resident of Barrio Site, Osiao Bacon District and a minor identified as Gerald Despabiladeras. Rescued were Mark Dagnalan Diolata, 28; John Carlo Lorilla, 15; John Robert Marcaida, 21 and Arjay Dulpina who are now being treated at Sorsogon Provincial Hospital. Missing were Dominador Esquivel; Leonel Diaz, 14; Magno Deocareza Diaz, 40 and Franklin Olavere. According to Tumangan, rescue and retrieval operations continues as of presstime. On Friday, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) chief Dr. Cedric Daep warned the public of possible landslides and lahar flows due to sustained rainshowers since last week. Evacuated Jsar Adornado of the Office of Civil Defense – Bicol region said that at least 1,000 families or 3,907 individuals in Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes have been evacuated since Friday. No power The municipalities of Buhi, Del Gallego, Barangay Sta. Cruz in Presentacion town and Poblacion in Lupi, Camarines Sur and Bulusan, Sorsogon remain without power as of presstime. Power outage was also reported in various parts of Bicol, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas as the grid and plants supplying electricity in the areas were affected. Several roads and bridges in Camarines Sur, Albay and Catanduanes were also closed to vehicular traffic due to flooding and landslides. Stranded passengers Almost 20,000 passengers were reported stranded in various ports in the Visayas and Bicol regions. But they were allowed to travel after Usman dissipated into a low pressure area. At least 14 areas were flooded in various parts of Bicol and Eastern Visayas. Several roads and bridges were also rendered impassable due to massive flooding. Police forces were earlier deployed in areas hit by the weather disturbance to help in preemptive evacuation and relief and rescue missions to the affected residents. ‘Usman’ weakens The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Usman made landfall around 6 a.m. Saturday and estimated the location of the LPA in the vicinity of Llorente, Eastern Samar around 7 a.m. PAGASA has lifted all tropical cyclone warnings as Usman weakened into an LPA. However, weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said moderate to heavy rains will prevail over Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Aurora. Light to moderate to at times heavy rains is expected over Metro Manila, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, and Visayas. Rains till Sunday Aurelio said Metro Manila will continue to experience rains this Sunday due to the surge of northeast monsoon or amihan. PAGASA advised residents in areas affected by the LPA and amihan, especially those in low-lying and mountainous areas, to take extra precaution against possible flooding and landslides. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will have isolated thunderstorms. The public is also warned of possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. PAGASA also warned fisherfolk from setting sail into the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, eastern and western coastlines of Southern Luzon, and the eastern coast of Visayas due to rough seas triggered by the surge of amihan. The rough seas will be dangerous for small sea crafts. Leaving on Monday Aurelio said the LPA is expected to leave the country's area of responsibility by Monday morning, and therefore, the weather condition is expected to improve throughout the country, except for Northern Luzon. He added that the amihan will prevail over Northern Luzon until next week. PCG lifts suspension of sea travel Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that a total 5,065 stranded passengers in Eastern Visayas may now head to their New Year destinations after the PCG lifted the suspension on all sea travel. Capt. Giovanni Bergantin, PCG Eastern Visayas commander, said that as of 6 a.m. yesterday, that stranded at the different ports in the region were 5,065 passengers, 584 rolling cargoes and 16 vessels, and 8 motorized bancas. Meanwhile, Northern Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer Rei Echano said that Calbayog-Lope de Vega, Northern Samar road is now passable to all types of vehicles since it closed 3 P.M. Friday. Parts of Catarman, Northern Samar and Calbayog City, Samar remain flooded and are not accessible to light vehicles. (With a report from Marie Marticio)
VIGILANCE – Local residents ride on a boat while undertaking a rescue operation at a floodedcommunity in Bulan, Sorsogon on Saturday, December 29, as Tropical Depression Usman
brought heavy rains before it was downgraded to a Low Pressure Area (LPA). (EPA) Chief Inspector Malu Calubaquib, Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) spokesperson, said a landslide in Barangay San Francisco in Legazpi City in Albay at midnight Friday resulted in the death of Mauro Alegre, 26, his wife Mia, 20 and their three year-old son Marco. The casualties were asleep when the landslide occurred, a report said. A police report reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City said that about a dozen people were staying inside the house when it was hit by the landslide. At least 10 people survived and only sustained minor injuries. During the search and rescue operation, the bodies of three-year old Marco Alegre, 20-year old Mia Lorete and 26-year old Mauro Alegre were retrieved three hours after the incident. In Bulan town Sorsogon province, another landslide incident happened that claimed the life of Angelina Gerona, 91, a widow and a resident of Brgy Palale, Bulan town. Another landslide incident was recorded in Lagonoy town, in Camarines Sur province that killed Charles Las Penas, 51, and Charles Las Penas y Luzande, 11, both residents of Brgy Guibahoy, Lagonoy, Camarines Sur. According to Calubaquib, the incident happened around 2 a.m. on Saturday where victims were buried to death. At around 12:30 p.m. on the same date, a landslide also happened in Sitio Gaho, Brgy Osiao, Bacon District, Sorsogon City. Calubaquib said, more or less 7 identified only as checker and laborers of Tomas Rañola Construction was buried of landslide. "According to Punong Barangay Tio Jio of Brgy Osiao, Bacon, District, Sorsogon City, the TRC checker only identified in the name of Onyok gathered the victims to accompany him to their office in Brgy Pangpang, Sorsogon City to get their salary. The victims boarded a car from Brgy Osiao and upon reaching the place of incident, they decided to walk because the road was already not passable caused by heavy rain brought by typhoon “USMAN”. However, while they were walking, the soil beside the road suddenly eroded burying the victims," Calubaquib said. Meanwhile, according to Edgar Tumangan, rescuer of CDRRMO Sorsogon, during the rescue operations led by Ramil Marianito, CDRRMO chief and Christine Lee-Rodrigueza Balita, 2 died during the incident, 4 were safely rescued, while 4 are still missing. Fatalities were identified as Gilbert Desunia, 22, a resident of Barrio Site, Osiao Bacon District and a minor identified as Gerald Despabiladeras. Rescued were Mark Dagnalan Diolata, 28; John Carlo Lorilla, 15; John Robert Marcaida, 21 and Arjay Dulpina who are now being treated at Sorsogon Provincial Hospital. Missing were Dominador Esquivel; Leonel Diaz, 14; Magno Deocareza Diaz, 40 and Franklin Olavere. According to Tumangan, rescue and retrieval operations continues as of presstime. On Friday, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) chief Dr. Cedric Daep warned the public of possible landslides and lahar flows due to sustained rainshowers since last week. Evacuated Jsar Adornado of the Office of Civil Defense – Bicol region said that at least 1,000 families or 3,907 individuals in Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes have been evacuated since Friday. No power The municipalities of Buhi, Del Gallego, Barangay Sta. Cruz in Presentacion town and Poblacion in Lupi, Camarines Sur and Bulusan, Sorsogon remain without power as of presstime. Power outage was also reported in various parts of Bicol, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas as the grid and plants supplying electricity in the areas were affected. Several roads and bridges in Camarines Sur, Albay and Catanduanes were also closed to vehicular traffic due to flooding and landslides. Stranded passengers Almost 20,000 passengers were reported stranded in various ports in the Visayas and Bicol regions. But they were allowed to travel after Usman dissipated into a low pressure area. At least 14 areas were flooded in various parts of Bicol and Eastern Visayas. Several roads and bridges were also rendered impassable due to massive flooding. Police forces were earlier deployed in areas hit by the weather disturbance to help in preemptive evacuation and relief and rescue missions to the affected residents. ‘Usman’ weakens The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Usman made landfall around 6 a.m. Saturday and estimated the location of the LPA in the vicinity of Llorente, Eastern Samar around 7 a.m. PAGASA has lifted all tropical cyclone warnings as Usman weakened into an LPA. However, weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said moderate to heavy rains will prevail over Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Aurora. Light to moderate to at times heavy rains is expected over Metro Manila, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, and Visayas. Rains till Sunday Aurelio said Metro Manila will continue to experience rains this Sunday due to the surge of northeast monsoon or amihan. PAGASA advised residents in areas affected by the LPA and amihan, especially those in low-lying and mountainous areas, to take extra precaution against possible flooding and landslides. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will have isolated thunderstorms. The public is also warned of possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. PAGASA also warned fisherfolk from setting sail into the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, eastern and western coastlines of Southern Luzon, and the eastern coast of Visayas due to rough seas triggered by the surge of amihan. The rough seas will be dangerous for small sea crafts. Leaving on Monday Aurelio said the LPA is expected to leave the country's area of responsibility by Monday morning, and therefore, the weather condition is expected to improve throughout the country, except for Northern Luzon. He added that the amihan will prevail over Northern Luzon until next week. PCG lifts suspension of sea travel Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that a total 5,065 stranded passengers in Eastern Visayas may now head to their New Year destinations after the PCG lifted the suspension on all sea travel. Capt. Giovanni Bergantin, PCG Eastern Visayas commander, said that as of 6 a.m. yesterday, that stranded at the different ports in the region were 5,065 passengers, 584 rolling cargoes and 16 vessels, and 8 motorized bancas. Meanwhile, Northern Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer Rei Echano said that Calbayog-Lope de Vega, Northern Samar road is now passable to all types of vehicles since it closed 3 P.M. Friday. Parts of Catarman, Northern Samar and Calbayog City, Samar remain flooded and are not accessible to light vehicles. (With a report from Marie Marticio)