‘Feria’ death toll soars to 113

The death toll from typhoon "Feria" rose to 113 yesterday, with another 69 people still missing and 121 injured, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.

Deaths in Baguio City and the nearby provinces of Benguet, Abra, Mt. Province and Apayao were listed at 68, mostly due to landslides that struck northern Luzon Wednesday and Thursday.

Feria’s strong winds damaged more than 12,000 houses while dumping heavy rain across Luzon, causing floods and displacing more than 589,000 people.

Initial estimated damage to infrastructure and agriculture was placed at P5.59 billion. Many of the road links to the North which had been cut by fallen rocks and floods during the storm have been restored but eight bridges had been washed out.

In Baguio City, the body of another landslide casualty was recovered early yesterday morning in Barangay San Vicente, bringing the death toll in the city to 31.

The body of 64-year-old Angelina Lacsina was pulled out from mud and rocks following four days of search operations.

Rescuers from the city disaster coordinating council were also working overtime to dig up the body of Cesar Gaoat who was buried by a landslide in Barangay Sto. Rosario. A search is also being undertaken for missing St. Louis University student Marvin Tumapang, who was swept away by floodwaters in Barangay Greenwater last Wednesday.

OCD-CAR director Vi-cente Tomazar said rescuers in various areas in Baguio and Benguet have become tired from non-stop operations. At the same time, he commended the volunteers who responded to calls from some 80 barangays beginning Wednesday.

Tomazar noted that poor equipment deterred quicker response from the rescue teams.

"Our people have had to make do with hand shovels and picks in the absence of modern equipment," he said.

The OCD chief said his office has already called for a probe into the recent disaster.

"With the help from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, we hope to find out why there were so many rock and mudslides," he said.

Tomazar added the tragedy in Baguio will hopefully lead to further improvement in provincial disaster management systems.

In Bangued, Abra, 11 people drowned while 13 remained missing in the worst ever flooding to hit the province in 50 years.

The provincial disaster coordinating council expects the number of casualties to rise as official reports from barangays in other towns start arriving.

Only nine of the 27 towns have turned in reports so far as the entire province remains isolated and without electricity.

The Bangued legislative council has passed a resolution declaring the municipality a calamity area. Workers form the provincial engineer’s office have been mobilized to clear roads of fallen trees and debris while relief workers have been providing food and medical assistance to affected families.

Local officials said they urgently need food supplies, gasoline and other prime commodities.

"We are appealing to President Arroyo, government agencies, the private sector and Good Samaritans to help us," said Gov. Vicsyd Valera.

In Pangasinan, the death toll from heavy flooding reached 18 with another 10 still missing.

Most of the drowning victims were children, including six-month-old Kimberly Rodriguez of Barangay Carangalan in Alcala town.

A total 42 towns suffered heavy flooding from the rains spawned by Feria.

Gov. Victor Agbayani said total damage from typhoon has initially been placed at P93 million. The provincial board passed a resolution Friday declaring a state of calamity in Pangasinan. – Artemio Dumlao, Ave Bello, Myds Supnad, Eva de Leon