MANILA, Philippines — Days of incessant rains unleashed a landslide that buried at least 14 people, including 12 children, with six others still missing in Talisay town in Batangas on Thursday night.
Patrolwoman Nenette Landicho of the Talisay Police Station yesterday confirmed the retrieval of the bodies of the 14 victims from the site of the landslide that occurred around 7 p.m. in Purok B in Barangay Sampaloc.
Batangas police director Col. Jacinto Malinao said the death toll could rise to 16 as they are still looking for the six missing people including a woman and her child who were buried in the landslide.
The incident followed days of heavy rains brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which began affecting the province on Tuesday.
In a Facebook post, Talisay Mayor Nestor Natanauan expressed concern over the extent of the disaster, saying that Kristine has greatly damaged their town.
“We are continually checking and taking care of the affected individuals and families,” the post said.
He assured the people of Talisay that the search for the missing would continue.
At least 311 families – comprising 1,457 individuals – have taken shelter in evacuation centers across Talisay.
In Batangas province, a total of 5,000 families or 17,700 individuals are housed in 266 evacuation centers, while an additional 1,402 families have sought refuge outside official shelters.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported that 133 houses have been completely destroyed and 567 houses sustained partial damage due to the continuous rains and landslides.
In addition to the 14 deaths in Talisay, 14 more individuals have been reported dead from other parts of Batangas. Ten persons are still missing and three others were injured during the storm and subsequent landslides, according to the PDRRMO.
Eight people from Laurel town perished as a result of a landslide, Malinao said, while the remaining 11 fatalities were from other areas in the province.
Apart from Talisay and Laurel, the two other hardest-hit areas are Lemery and Calatagan.
In a text message, Gov. Hermilando Mandanas announced that the province of Batangas will declare a state of calamity within the day to expedite relief and recovery efforts.
The local government and disaster management teams are continuing search, rescue and relief operations as rains are expected to persist.
Death toll rises to 46
Kristine’s casualty count rose to 46 yesterday with at least 20 people reported missing in various affected provinces of Luzon.
Citing the latest data, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said 28 of those who died are from the Bicol region, including 14 from Naga City, Camarines Sur.
Fifteen of the casualties are from Quezon province and Batangas in the Calabarzon region while there is one reported fatality each in La Union, Zambales and Zamboanga del Sur.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths vary from drowning, being hit by fallen trees and electrocution as Kristine was dumping heavy rains, causing massive flooding.
Meanwhile, latest reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) show that Kristine has affected a total of 569,524 families or 2,656,446 persons in 15 different regions across the country.
Of the number, 64,447 families or 239,200 persons are taking temporary shelter and are being provided with their basic needs in 5,791 different evacuation centers.
The NDRRMC said the Bicol region had the most number of affected families at 384,436 or 1,860,625 people, followed by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with 89,132 families or 435,135 persons.
There were also 7,510 passengers, 1,788 rolling cargoes, 97 vessels and 17 motor bancas stranded in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Caraga.
Kristine wrecked a total of 1,402 houses in the Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Caraga, BARMM and the Cordillera Administrative Region, according to the NDRRMC.
In the Bicol region alone, the estimated cost of damage to agriculture has been placed so far at more than P9.7 million while damage to infrastructure in select areas is at P15 million.
Bicol police director Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon said among the challenges they are facing is the shortage of rubber boats with outboard motors which could reach flooded communities.
The region also needs more relief supplies such as ready-to-eat food and drinking water, he added.
There are residents still trapped on the roofs of their houses in Bicol due to floods, according to the police officer.
He is hoping the good weather would continue for the next several days so they could fast-track relief missions.
The NDRRMC said the cost of assistance given to most affected families and individuals has now reached over P60.5 million, which includes food and non-food items.
Meanwhile, nine Bulacan fishermen were rescued in Manila Bay on Thursday.
Bulacan disaster risk reduction management officer Manuel Lukban Jr. reported that the boat of the 10 fishermen from Obando town capsized and nine of the crew were rescued later. Jerry Lacaña, one of the crew, was unfortunately found dead.
Two fishermen from Limay, Bataan were also rescued in Bulacan part of Manila Bay last Thursday, according to him.
Lukban reported that the rains caused by Kristine together with the high tide of Manila Bay inundated at least 54 barangays in the province with 0.5 to four feet of flood water.
On the other hand, a total of 395 families or 1,376 individuals were evacuated and brought to 16 evacuation centers in Bulacan.
Lukban added that partial and unofficial damage report on agriculture include 885.74 hectares of rice lands affecting 775 farmers, 1.69 hectares of vegetable land affecting 12 farmers and 61.60 hectares of fishpond affecting 29 fisherfolk.
Meanwhile, Pangasinan police provincial office reported three persons were injured when a tree fell on their house due to strong winds caused by Kristine in Anda, Pangasinan.
A landslide induced by continuous rains caused by Kristine buried a farmer alive while he was tending a vegetable farm in Buguias, Benguet on Thursday afternoon.
A 60-year-old Mountain Province villager who was reported missing since Thursday has been pronounced dead after his remains were washed away by the Chico River.
Makati, DOH send help
The city government of Makati dispatched a specialized team of search and rescue personnel to Bicol to aid in relief operations.
A total of 27 personnel from the Makati disaster risk reduction and management office have been deployed by the city. The team includes technical search and rescue responders as well as emergency medical services personnel, ensuring that both life-saving and medical support can be provided.
The Makati team also supplied vital water search and rescue equipment, such as steel and rubber boats, medical gear, high-angle search and rescue tools and personal protective equipment.
They also brought generator sets and urban search and rescue shelters to ensure they could operate independently during the mission.
Four rescue vehicles, two basic life support ambulances and a canter truck were also part of the convoy sent to Bicol.
“Makati stands in solidarity with our kababayans in the Bicol Region. We are always ready to help other localities in every way possible in times of disaster,” Makati Mayor Abby Binay said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) has deployed Health Emergency Response Teams (HERTs) to evacuation centers housing a large number of families and individuals displaced by Kristine.
The DOH said HERTs were spread to all the regions affected by the storm to provide the needed medical assistance.
“Our HERTs immediately responded to the evacuation centers in different regions to provide medical intervention to those affected by tropical storm Kristine,” the DOH said.
Apart from providing medical consultation, they also brought with them medicines for those in need. The department also provided hygiene kits as well as disinfectants, chlorine granules and water purification tablets to families in evacuation centers.
Cancelled flights
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) announced the cancellation of 14 domestic flights at airports under its management.
Laoag International Airport has two canceled flights from Manila to Laoag and vice versa on Cebu Pacific 5J404/405.
Zamboanga International Airport has four canceled flights on Cebu Pacific, namely 5J 851/852, 5J 859/860 plying the Manila-Zamboanga-Manila route.
San Jose Airport in Occidental Mindoro has two canceled Cebgo flights coming from Manila.
Bicol International Airport in Albay has two canceled flights by Cebgo DG 6193/6194, plying the Manila-Daraga (Legazpi)-Manila route.
Lastly, Tuguegarao Airport in Cagayan province has cancelled four domestic Cebu Pacific flights – 5J504/505 and 5J506/507.
CAAP information officer Karen Villanda said the widespread disruptions caused by Kristine prompted the airports managed by their agency to take significant steps in assisting affected residents and travelers.
Romblon and Naga airports have already provided free charging services to individuals needing to connect with their loved ones using mobile devices.— Emmanuel Tupas, Ramon Lazaro, Cesar Ramirez, Rudy Santos, Artemio Dumlao, Christine Boton, Rhodina Villanueva, Michael Punongbaya