Storm threatens landslide areas

A tropical storm is threatening the eastern and central Philippines, even as residents have yet to recover from landslides and floods in southern Leyte and Mindanao that have left at least 200 people dead or missing, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said yesterday.

Residents of low-lying areas as well as those near mountains were advised to be on high alert against flash floods and landslides, the OCD said.

Tropical storm "Zigzag," packing winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center, is forecast to be 320 kilometers east of Catanduanes by today.

Eastern Visayas and the Bicol Region have been experiencing winds strong enough to uproot small trees. Sea travel for small fishing boats will be risky, forecasters said.

Nearly 400 people, mostly bound for Manila, were stranded at various ports in Bicol yesterday when the Philippine Coast Guard banned sea travel for ferry boats and small craft after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) placed the entire Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas under storm Signal No. 1.

Some 200 passengers were stranded at the port in Tabaco, Albay; 159 in Pilar; 25 in Bulan and 10 in Masbate. At least 15 vehicles were also stranded.

Coast Guard-Bicol deputy commander Avelino Fortuna told The STAR they are expecting the number of stranded passengers to increase once the typhoon signal is raised to Signal No. 2 today "because all sea vessels will no longer be allowed to travel under such (a) signal."

Fortuna explained that until yesterday, the Maharlika I — a roll-on roll-off vessel with more than 1,000 gross tonnage plying the route between Matnog, Sorsogon and Allen, Samar — was still allowed to travel since it was merely storm Signal No. 1.

"That’s why no passengers had been stranded at the Matnog port," he said.

OCD regional director Arnel Capili said he has written the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) in Manila to stop provincial buses from going south to prevent more passengers from being stranded in Matnog.

Capili said bus operators have already forged an agreement with the NDCC to temporarily stop bus trips to Matnog.

At least two fishermen died when their fishing vessels were smashed by huge waves off the coast of Camarines Norte last week, due to sudden changes in the weather conditions in the area.

Meanwhile, the provincial disaster coordinating council, headed by southern Leyte Gov. Rosette Lerias, pegged the final death toll at 154, with 32 injured.

The landslides and floods affected 4,030 people, totally destroyed 223 houses, and partially destroyed 329 more in Liloan, San Francisco, San Ricardo and Maasin.

The area, however, remains in a calamitous state, and relief and rescue operations were continuing, the OCD said.

A team of experts from the Philippine National Red Cross was sent to the disaster sites to come up with an objective assessment on the extent of the damage to life, property and livelihood.

The experts said the victims need drinking water and sanitation facilities at evacuation sites, as well as psychological counseling to deal with the trauma of the landslides.

In a related development, President Arroyo sternly admonished local government officials who reportedly fought over the right to distribute relief goods to families affected by landslides and floods in Leyte and Mindanao.

"Let us not turn human tragedies into political opportunities," she said, and ordered the NDCC, headed by Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, to take over the distribution "directly in coordination" with local government disaster units in the affected areas "without regard for any partisan influence."

The President, accompanied by Ermita and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, flew to the disaster sites last Tuesday, bringing with them additional relief goods donated by the United States, Germany and China.

The distribution of relief goods was reportedly hampered when wards of southern Leyte Rep. Aniceto Saludo allegedly insisted that these items be entrusted for disposal by Mayor Diego Yuboc, his political ally.

Torrential rains triggered by seasonal northeasterly winds caused floods and landslides in Leyte and Mindanao, with entire villages buried under mud.

Officials also blamed illegal logging for the tragedy. — AFP, Jaime Laude, Cet Dematera, Celso Amo, Marichu Villanueva