NDCC: ‘Chedeng’ death toll climbs to 15

Tropical storm Chedeng moved away from the Philippines yesterday, leaving at least 15 people dead in widespread floods and landslides spawned by heavy rains.

Chedeng weakened as it moved eastward with peak center winds slowing to 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of 90 kph east of Cagayan province.

Public storm signal No. 1, however, remained hoisted yesterday in the northern provinces as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advised residents in low-lying areas to seek higher ground for possible occurrence of landslides and flash floods.

Residents living along the banks of the Tullahan River were also alerted by the Maynilad Water Services Inc. on the possibility of the La Mesa Dam overflowing after 40 hours due to the heavy rains generated by the typhoon.

As of 6 p.m. yesterday the water at the dam was 79.58 meters or 57 centimeters to the overflow level. Maynilad’s water production manager Edgardo Esteban said the rate of increase will depend on the intensity of rainfall.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) identified Chedeng’s fatalities as Marcelina Hidalgo, 44, who was struck by lightning in Sison, Pangasinan; Danilo Guinto, 21, who was electrocuted in Masantol, Pampanga; Michael Jomar Selda, 11 and Ronald Amante, 8, from Caloocan and Malabon cities, respectively, who drowned in a creek; and Mary Rose Caligdong, 17, whose body was retrieved yesterday in Tullahan River in Barangay Gulod in Quezon City.

Another female teener, who is yet to be identified, was found floating in the flood-swollen Malabon River. In Western Visayas, where a total of 68 families were brought to evacuation sites, there were two casualties — six-month old Eleanor Panergo and 17-year-old Rex Falcag.

These were in addition to the seven who died on Tuesday — Virgie Salud, 47, Arthur Sinogat, 45, seven-month-old Jefferson Llagas, Juan Ibañez, 2, Crislyn dela Cruz, 13, Mary Grace Matuban, 13; and Katherine Molina, 18.

Chedeng continued to unleash its fury yesterday leaving in its wake a total of 700 families affected in Manila with Tondo, Sta. Ana and Pandacan experiencing knee- to hip-deep floods.

Government employees were told to stay home for a second day as several parts of Manila remained flooded, snarling traffic and stranding commuters.

At least 200 people living on the banks of the Marikina River were evacuated to higher grounds after the water in the river reached critical level due to continuous rains.

In Central Luzon, at least 87,026 people have been affected by the tropical depression, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) reported. As of yesterday, floodwaters continued to rise in 96 low-lying villages in 34 municipalities in the region as the downpour showed no sign of letup.

A bit of good news though was that 15 cycling and environment enthusiasts from Quezon City were found in Infanta, Quezon after they disappeared three days ago in a rebel-infested area.

Dagupan City in Pangasinan was the hardest hit with an estimated P30 million worth of damage to agriculture alone, prompting the city council to declare a state of calamity in the area yesterday.

Butch Velasco, city information officer, told The STAR that about three million pieces of bangus worth at least P30 million overflowed from Dagupan’s fishponds due to the continuous heavy rains aggravated by the high tide yesterday. — Mike Frialde, Eva Visperas, Ric Sapnu, Pete Laude, Katherine Adraneda, Vic Alhambra, Jr., Cesar Ramirez, Sandy Araneta, Marichu Villanueva, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Ding Cervantes, Jaime Laude, Non Alquitran, Rainier Allan Ronda, Nikko Dizon, Andy Zapata, Jose Aravilla, Jose Aravilla, Felix de los Santos, AFP