Albay an 'open city' for aid

LEGAZPI CITY , Philippines   – Heavy rains have hampered the delivery of relief assistance to evacuees in far-flung, landslide-threatened villages even as the outpouring of aid has prompted disaster control officials to declare the province an “open city.”

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said a helicopter carrying relief goods for 200 families in Barangays Mataas and Mapulang Lupa in Bacacay town failed to land yesterday morning due to zero visibility.

Salceda said they were declaring Albay an “open city” so donors could bring their relief assistance directly to the evacuees.

“But, of course, we could always assist them in the distribution,” Salceda told The STAR.

At least 1,696 families or 8,475 people remained in evacuation centers as threats of more landslides remained high as the accumulated rainfall since Jan. 1 has exceeded the 220-millimeter threshold, or the minimum volume of rainwater sufficient to trigger soil erosion, Salceda said.

In Southern Leyte, the incessant rains have affected at least 1,480 families or 5,430 people, leaving five children dead and seven others injured in landslides, while Northern Samar has been placed under a state of calamity.

In a news conference, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional director Angel Gaviola said the calamity has left P8.199 million in farm losses and P11.752 million in infrastructure damage in the Southern Leyte towns of St. Bernard, Sogod, Hinundayan, Bontoc, Libagon, Maasin, Macrohon, Liloan, and Silago.

The Philippine Army in Eastern Visayas has started using its air assets to evacuate trapped residents in two landslide-stricken villages in St. Bernard town.

Lt. Col. Noel Vestuir, spokesman of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said two Air Force helicopters airlifted 46 families or 291 people from Barangay Tabon-Tabon, while Army ground troops helped 180 residents of nearby Barangay Malinao cross a swollen river to go to an evacuation center.

In Mindanao, the Army has also mobilized its troops to assist in the ongoing rescue and relief operations in flood- and landslide-hit areas in the Surigao and Agusan provinces.

As of yesterday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed the death toll at 29, mostly victims of drowning and landslides in the Davao, Caraga and Bicol regions, eastern Visayas and western Mindanao.

The council estimated damage to agriculture and infrastructure in the affected regions at more than P183 million. – With Miriam Garcia Desacada, Jaime Laude and Ben Serrano