‘Seniang’ leaves 26 dead, 13 missing

At least 26 people were killed and 13 others missing after Typhoon "Seniang" barreled through Metro Manila and Northern Luzon at dawn yesterday.

Packing winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, Seniang toppled trees and cut power, triggering landslides and flooding many areas as it traveled at 19 kph toward the South China Sea.

Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora told reporters yesterday government offices were closed following heavy rains and floods.

"It’s storm signal No. 3," he said. "Government offices are closed, except for those involved in relief operations."

On the other hand, Jose Cervantes, Philippine Stock Exchange senior vice president, told reporters trading could not take place as the storm signal had been raised to No. 3, the highest level of a three-step storm alert.

Foreign and domestic flights resumed yesterday after heavy rains and strong winds battered Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

Earlier, Philippine Airlines canceled 39 flights, including those to four regional points, because of the typhoon. Two incoming flights from the United States were diverted to Hong Kong.

Cebu Pacific announced that its flight schedules would return to normal today after the disruption caused by Seniang yesterday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported late yesterday that Seniang had slowed down after crossing Bataan on the way to the South China Sea.

As of yesterday morning, Storm Signal No. 3 was in effect over Bataan, Zambales and Lubang island, while Signal No. 2 was in effect over Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac and western Pangasinan.

Weathermen said Southern Tagalog, Northern Visayas and Northern Luzon will have rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas today, while the rest of the country will be cloudy with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the following areas still had no electricity: Quezon, Caloocan and Valenzuela cities; the towns of Meycauayan and Bocaue in Bulacan, and North Luzon Expressway.

Pedro Co, systems operations head of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), said Manila is still 50 percent without power, while Paranaque, Las Piñas and parts of Laguna are 31 percent without electricity.

Co said Meralco hopes to restore power in its entire franchise area within the weekend, and that they are still assessing the total damage to their system

Priority areas are hospitals, government installations, the Light Rail Transit system, and the Metro Rail Transit system, he added.

On the other hand, Rolando Bacani, National Power Corp. vice president for systems operations, reported that all its transmission and power system were fully operational except the Gumaca-Labo line in Bicol.

Bacani said a technical fault in the system has affected the Gumaca area, and that only 1,400 megawatts of electricity is being used in the Luzon Grid as of 3 p.m. yesterday.

In Manila, Coast Guard frogmen were still combing the waters off South Harbor in search for the missing crewmen of a training ship which sunk at the height Seniang’s fury yesterday morning.

Taken to the Ospital ng Maynila were the ship’s captain, Diosdado Menida, 53, radio operator Jonathan Santos, 30, deck officer Christopher Soriano, 33, and cadets Sherwin Donido, Eddie Maritano, and Pedro Heneroso.

In Laguna, Gov. Joey Lina told reporters yesterday among the fatalities were four mountain climbers who drowned while trying to cross a swollen river in the province.

Lina said the victims were part of of a group of more than 100 climbers still trapped by the river, and that soldiers and police have been sent to rescue the group.

Lina said three people, including two children, were killed in a landslide and two others drowned in a river in Siniloan town.

Three others were reported missing after a tricycle they were riding fell into a river when a bridge collapsed while they were trying to cross to the other side, he added.

In Makati City, two men were reported to have drowned in the Pateros-Taguig River in Barangay Pembo. One of them was identified as Rod Magubat.

In Antipolo City, nine people, including three children were killed in landslides in separate incidents during a downpour in Barangay Bagong Nayon,

Killed were Bong Marcadia, 28; Karen Pisino, Jessie Dazo, 14; siblings Jerry, 10 and Jaquelyn Gardon, 14; a certain Kris, siblings Evelyn 3, and Saralyn Ganotiba, 4, and one Aling Rosa.

In Angono, Rizal, three unidentified people drowned after they were washed away by rampaging waters while crossing the Pasong Tamo Bridge.

In Pangasinan, police said the body of a retired colonel was fished out of a creek in Barangay Sinabaan in Bautista town on Wednesday night.

The fatality was identified as Jesus Frias, 65, a resident of Barangay Bongto East in Bayambang town.

Police said Frias was last seen last Tuesday while crossing the deep portion of the creek at the height of the fury of Typhoon "Reming."

In Tuguegarao City, a nine-year-old boy drowned while two others were reported missing after the ferry they were riding capsized on the Pinacanuan River in Penablanca yesterday morning

Police identified the fatality as Reymart Pataguan of Barangay Minanga, Penablanca. The two missing persons remain unidentified.

Four other people drowned in another town in Cagayan and also another in Nueva Vizcaya, while landslides killed one person in Isabela and another in Nueva Vizcaya.

In Marikina City, a man was killed when a small radio transmitter tower collapsed on his home, impaling him and injuring his eight-year-old daughter.

In Manila Bay, reports said at least seven barges and one tanker anchored off the breakwater were battered by strong winds.

Powerful winds and big waves slammed at least seven barges into a seawall along Manila Bay.

DOH assures public of medicine supply

Health Secretary Alfredo Romualdez assured the public yesterday of ample medicine and other supplies for distribution to the various evacuation centers.

Romualdez said they have no problem providing assistance to the different regions affected by Seniang, except in the Bicol Region where supplies have been used when Typhoon "Reming" hit the country.

However, Romualdez said the health department office in Bicol was able to get supplies from various hospitals in the region so its operations would not be affected.

Romualdez warned the public against wading in floodwaters which may be contaminated with the urine of rats infected with leptospira bacteria.

He said heaps of uncollected garbage washed away by floods also add to the risk of aquiring leptospirosis, gastro-intestinal diseases and respiratory tract infections.

Romualdez said respiratory tract infections can become prevalent in evacuation centers because of possible overcrowding.

In Pasig City, Mayor Vicente Eusebio ordered the immediate distribution of relief goods and the giving of medical services to residents of flood-stricken areas.

Eusebio said a total of 1,724 families or 10,203 people have been brought to the 27 evacuation centers scattered throughout the city as of 2 p.m. yesterday.

In Manila, floodwaters submerged Old St. Mesa and Bacood streets in Sta. Mesa; Nagtahan and J. P. Laurel streets, and Ramon Magsaysay Avenue in San Miguel district; Arsenio Lacson, Pureza, Altura, Espana, C.M. Recto, and Nicanor Reyes in Sampaloc; T. M. Kalaw street and United Nations Avenue in Ermita; Sergio Osmena Avenue in San Andres; and Tayuman and Abad Santos streets in Sta. Cruz.

The underpass along Quezon Blvd. and Lagusnilad in front of City Hall were also underwater and impassable to vehicular traffic yesterday.

Civil defense officials said more than 1,100 people were evacuated because of flooding in Taguig, Metro Manila and four provinces east of the metropolis.

In Malabon, the Tullahan River overflowed and spilled over to the Tullahan Bridge, causing it to become impassable to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Joel Lacsamana of Manila Water Services Inc. warned residents near the Tullahan River that the water level of La Mesa Dam has risen to 79.46 meters.

In Muntinlupa, 71 families were displaced from their homes in Barangay Cupang; 63 in Barangay Calzada/Tipas and 33 in Barangay Sta. Ana in Taguig; 20 in Tondo, Manila; 10 in Barangay Sta. Monica/Damalay in Novaliches; and three families in Barangay Napindan in Quezon City.

In Caloocan City, the concrete wall of a gasoline station along Rizal Avenue yesterday because of strong winds, damaging at least nine vehicles. However, no one was injured.

Dagat-Dagatan was the most affected area in Caloocan, as floods prevented vehicles with connecting routes in and out of the city from moving.

Another 1,300 people were reportedly stranded in a port in Matnog, Sorsogon because ferries were not allowed to leave port.

In Albay, heavy rains caused mudflows from the slopes of Mayon Volcano to cascade down Barangays Pandang, Pawa and Mabini in Legazpi City yesterday.– With reports from Felix de los Santos, Cesar Ramirez, Celso Amo, Mike Frialde, Ted Torres, Marvin Sy, Matthew Estabillo, Ella Oducayen, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Pia Lee-Brago, Rainier Allan Ronda, Charlie Lagasca, Rey Arquiza, Sheila Crisostomo, Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude, Romel Bagares, AP, AFP