Death toll in floods, landslides hits 20

The death toll in floods and landslides rose to 20 yesterday as over 288,000 people were displaced by heavy rains that lashed across the Bicol region, the Visayas, and parts of Mindanao in the past few days.

The National Disaster Coordinting Council (NDCC) reported that 14 people died in the Visayas, while six were killed when a landslide hit the town of Salvador on the southern island of Mindanao.

At least five people were reported missing.

The NDCC said 69,176 families or 339,736 people were affected in 744 barangays in 11 provinces in Southern Tagalog, the Bicol region, Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao.

In Oriental Mindoro, continuous rains caused by a low pressure area over Southern Luzon submerged three municipalities.

Officials of the affected towns blamed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for its installation a gabion structure in the Mag-Asawang Tubig, Aglubang, and Bucayao rivers which diverted floodwater to low-lying areas.

Naujan Mayor Romar Marcos reported that they  have evacuated 420 families, or 1,680 people, from Barangay Inarawan, the most heavily affected area in his municipality.

The three Mindoro towns hit by flooding are Naujan, Baco and Victoria. 

In Albay, the temporary bridge in Kikao, Daraga  town was washed out by floodwaters while the newly constructed dike in Yawa River was damaged.

The bridge connecting Barankgays Kikilao and Binitayan was also destroyed, isolating Barangays Alcala, Matnog, Budiao and Kikilao, all located on the slopes of Mayon Volcano.

In Catanduanes, a landslide hit the section of P.Vera and Viga proper, with an alert raised on the Pandan-Camaroran road.

A C-130 military transport plane flew emergency food and clothing to the Tacloban City airport in Leyte, while Army trucks delivered supplies to nearby Samar, the Office of Civil Defense said.

The weather bureau said a low pressure area and the tail-end of a cold front in the South have combined to bring unseasonal heavy rains across the islands the past week.

Operatives of the Coast Guard continued to search and rescue three fishermen whose boat capsized off Tabaco City in Albay last Tuesday night.

Another vessel sank off the Metro Ferry terminal in Cavite City at midnight yesterday, the Coast Guard said. All passengers were rescued. – Jaime Laude, Edu Punay, Juancho Mahusay, Celso Amo