Ulysses deaths hit 42; dozens missing

MANILA, Philippines — Police and soldiers searched for dozens of people still missing yesterday after Typhoon Ulysses killed at least 42 people, injured more than 20 others and caused some of the worst flooding in years in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Ulysses (international name Vamco), the 21st and deadliest cyclone to hit the country this year, tore through the main island of Luzon late Wednesday into early Thursday, just as the country was reeling from Super Typhoon Rolly (Goni), the world’s strongest typhoon of 2020, which killed 25 people and flattened thousands of homes.

Tens of thousands of homes were engulfed by the floods, and as the water receded in areas such as Marikina, homes covered in debris and caked in mud emerged.

“All the houses here were submerged in mud and in water,” Mike Rusio, 51, told Reuters as he scooped buckets of mud from his two-story home.

Heavy equipment was also brought in to clear furniture, trash and cars blocking roads.

Data published by the police showed that 42 people had died, 43 were injured and 20 still missing.

Successive typhoons – eight in the past two months – add to the challenges confronting a government battling community coronavirus infections and an economic recession.

The disaster agency said nearly 75,000 people were still packed into evacuation centres, some without proper separation between families and many evacuees not wearing masks.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said makeshift shelters increased the risk of COVID-19 transmission, alongside leptospirosis and diarrhea.

The Philippines has the second-highest number of COVID-19 infections and casualties in Southeast Asia, behind Indonesia.

After Ulysses, up to three more typhoons are expected to lash the Philippines before the end of December, the state weather forecaster warned.

The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, experiences around 20 tropical storms annually.

PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas has mobilized 25,000 police officers to help local government units (LGUs) in search and rescue and clearing operations as well as to secure evacuation centers.

“We also have readied our relief operations in coordination with the LGUs,” Sinas said at a news briefing with other government officials at Camp Aguinaldo.

Sinas on Thursday night visited Provident Village in Marikina City after the middle class subdivision was submerged in deep floodwaters, forcing residents to the upper levels and roofs of their houses.

Police have rescued at least 104,850 individuals in Luzon and 50,952 from Bicol from the typhoon’s wrath.

Central Luzon police director Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon said over 40,000 residents were evacuated from areas affected by Typhoon Ulysses in the region on Thursday.

He said the displaced residents are now in 1,039 evacuations centers in various towns.

A total of 202 barangays were submerged in floodwaters in the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Zambales while 64 towns in Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales have no electricity.

De Leon said search and rescue teams provided assistance to more than 20,000 residents in flooded villages.

Interior Secertary Eduardo Año said they are still validating the reported deaths and missing persons if the incidents are directly related to Ulysses.

As for infrastructure damage, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said that P4.25 billion worth were reported during initial assessments.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said that P99.342 million worth of damage were also incurred in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and the Cordilleras.

The NDRRMC said that a total of 105 cities and municipalities in eight regions reported flooding in their areas.

There were also at least eight landslides reported in Regions 2 and Calabarzon.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said 1,006 barangays experienced flooding.

LGUs were able to activate 12,439 evacuation centers for their constituents.

At least 170,651 individuals or 44,164 families were directly affected by the typhoon, according to NDRRMC data.

There were also 64,552 families or 231,312 persons pre-emptively evacuated prior to landfall of Ulysses.

Data from the briefing said that over 138,272 individuals had to be rescued by different uniformed personnel during the height of the typhoon.

A total of 803 search and rescue teams were deployed from the military, police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and other agencies.

There were also 2,147 persons stranded in different ports affected by the storm.

Power outages were experienced in 234 cities and municipalities, with water and communication lines cut.

Metro Manila is forecast to have partly cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers as Typhoon Ulysses yesterday departed the Philippine area of responsibility, according to the state weather bureau.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that localized thunderstorms would affect the National Capital Region and the rest of the country.

PAGASA warned of possible floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.

Northern Luzon, including Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley, will see isolated light rains caused by the northeast monsoon.

Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands could see scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms due to the tailend of the cold front.

Ulysses left the Philippine area of responsibility at 9:30 a.m. and was moving westward toward Vietnam.

As of 3 p.m. Vamco was 620 km west of Iba, Zambales.

Fatalities

Among the fatalities of the typhoon were 10 victims who were killed when a landslide buried five houses near a mining area in Barangay Runruno, Quezon town in Nueva Vizacaya.

Runruno barangay chairman John Babli-ing identified the victims as Ben Bulayo Uyami Jr., 31; Cresencia Nah-oy, 27; Dexter Kurt Nah-oy, Joel Buyuccan, 26; Omar Tuguinay, 17;

Julie Ann Conde Taniza, 15; Markconie Binwag, 25; Maddela Quirino; Francisco Napadawan, 54; Noel Buyaco Tayaban, 39; Jomar Ohdon Comilang, 33; Jayson Taniza, 10; Jaymark Taniza, 17 and their mother Lily Taniza.

In Ifugao, five residents were buried by a landslide in Barangay Viewpoint in Banaue, at the height of the storm on Thursday.

Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. Rwin Pagkalinawan said the rescuers recovered the bodies of the victims identified as Joel Chur-ig, Lance Bruce Guinyang, Dante Boqueng, Johnny Cabbigat Duccog and Jose Piog.

In Bicol, the local chapter of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported yesterday that five residents were killed in the region, scores were injured while four others remain missing.

OCD identified three of the victims as John Lyndon Candelaria, who was buried in a landslide; Federico Taroza, 47, who drowned, both of Labo, Camarines Norte; and Johnny Mirana who also drowned when he was swept by floodwaters in Goa, Camarines Sur.

Still missing were brothers Jessy Boy, 33 and Roland Alvarez, 48; and Bobby Roderick Masaya,19, all of Barangay Pinagtigasan, in Vinzons; and Noel Macayo, of Barangay 2 in Mercedes, all in Camarines Norte.

At least eight people were injured when hit by falling and flying objects at the height of Ulysses in Camarines Norte.

The more than 15,000 families that took refuge in various evacuation centers across Bicol had started to decamp with the weather already improved.

Camarines Norte, the province hardest hit by Ulysses, remains without electricity; while only Basud, Daet, Talisay and Vinzons had water supply. Supply of potable water was cut off by flashfloods in Capalonga, Jose Panganiban, Mercedes, Labo, Paracale, San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente and Sta Elena.

OCD also received reports of flooding in 38 towns and cities, and 21 landslides in 11 towns across the Bicol.

Meanwhile, electric power was restored in 30 barangays of Legazpi City and 15 villages of Sto. Domingo, both in Albay.

Floods in Isabela and Cagayan reached their height when Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela opened seven spillway gates as its water reached spilling level at 193 meters on Thursday evening.

In Ilagan City, Isabela, chief of police Lt. Col. Virgilio Abillera said floodwaters reached the national highway in Barangay Alibagu and submerged hundreds of houses in a nearby village reached by the swollen Cagayan River.

Search and rescue operations are continuing for at least 24 persons who remain missing.

Agricultural damage

Damage to the agriculture sector in areas battered by Typhoon Ulysses may hit more than P1 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

“In Calabarzon, initial damage is already at P800 million,” agriculture spokesman Noel Reyes said.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar yesterday inspected the damaged farms in Bulacan and Rizal.

The latest bulletin from the Department of Agriculture-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center showed that initial damage due to Ulysses is at P970 million. Field reports continue to come in.

The farm sector is still reeling from the P8.5 billion in losses from recent typhoons Quinta and Rolly.

So far, Ulysses damaged 51,241 hectares of agricultural lands with production losses at 58,897 metric tons, affecting some 40,519 farmers in Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Bicol region.

The rice sector was hardest hit at P517 million or 53 percent of the damage, affecting 33,836 hectares with 36,479 MT. Quezon province reported the most damage.

The high value crops sector was also affected with P413 million in damage covering 7,211 hectares and 22,220 MT in produce.

The corn sector was also hit with damage valued at P14 million, affecting 10,193 hectares with 197 MT.

For livestock and poultry, damage was estimated at 3,088 heads of animals worth P6 million. Fisheries incurred losses of about P3 million.

Irrigation and agri-facilities and other machinery and equipment have a combined damage of P193,000.

The DA earlier said some P5.56 billion worth of rice and corn produce have been saved from damage after farmers were urged to harvest ahead of the typhoon’s arrival.

The DA’s regional field offices have prepared interventions for affected farmers and fisherfolk, including seed reserves for rice and corn, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry.

It has a standby quick response fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas. Recovery loans are also being readied. – Ramon Efren Lazaro, Victor Martin, Artemio Dumlao, Raymund Catindig, Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu, Michele Zoleta, Louise Maureen Simeon