MANILA,
DECEMBER 18, 2011 (STAR) (PHOTO - Rescuers
paddle their rubber boat to search for survivors following a flashflood
that inundated Cagayan de Oro city, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011.AP
Photo/Froilan Gallardo) Nearly 200 people have been confirmed killed
and scores of others went missing after tropical storm "Sendong"
battered provinces in Mindanao with strong winds and heavy rains,
officials said today.
The Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Battalion, which was leading the
search and rescue operations in Cagayan de Oro City, said that they have
recovered a total of 117 bodies as of 4 p.m.
Mayor Lawrence Cruz of nearby Iligan city said 79 bodies were
recovered in the city after more than 12 hours of continuous rain
swelled a river and sent muddy floodwaters cascading down from nearby
mountains.
Cruz said that they never expected the disaster since Iligan City was
only under public storm warning signal number one. He said heavy
raining started around 10 p.m. on Friday, and the floods came while
people were sleeping.
"This is the worst. We've never seen flooding like this ever since the existence of our city," the mayor said.
Cruz said about 150 people were missing in the city after the storm swept through their area and other provinces in Mindanao.
Benito Ramos of the The National Disaster Risk Reductin and
Management Council said in a report to President Benigno Aquino III this
afternoon that at least 260 people have been reported missing.
Ramos said that he received a report that a village in Iligan City was completely swept by floodwaters.
Disaster officers said three people drowned in Zamboanga del Norte province, west of the two cities.
Teddy Sabuga-a, a disaster officer in Misamis Oriental province, said
60 people were rescued in waters off El Salvador city, about 6 miles
(10 kilometers) northwest of Cagayan de Oro, after they were swept to
the sea by a raging river, and about 120 more were rescued off Opol
township, closer to the city.
He said an island in the middle of the Cagayan de Oro river was
inundated, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or people
missing.
Cruz said the coast guard and other rescuers were scouring the waters
off his coastal city for survivors or bodies that may have been swept
to the sea by a swollen river.
The floodwaters were waist-high in some neighborhoods that do not
usually experience flooding. Scores of residents escaped the floods by
climbing onto the roofs of their homes, Cruz said.
Those missing included prominent radio broadcaster Enie Alsonado, who
was swept away while trying to save his neighbors, Cruz said.
Christmas in temporary shelters
[PHOTO COURTESY OF BULLETIN - SURVIVING THE FLOOD Residents are
trapped on the roof of a two-story house in Cagayan de Oro City,
awaiting rescue as rains from tropical storm 'Sendong' swelled rivers,
caused flash floods, and killed scores in some parts of Mindanao
Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. (AP Photo)]
Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said in a radio interview
that at least 20,000 residents in Cagayan de Oro City were brought to 10
evacuation centers.
Soliman said that food packs have already been distributed to the
displaced residents. She said that they would need more volunteers for
the packing of food since several local social workers were also
affected by the massive flooding.
She added that she has requested for more funds from the national
government as they expect the stay of the displaced residents in
evacuation centers until Christmas Day.
Soliman said they are thinking of including in the food packs some
"Noche Buena" items, including canned fruit cocktails, pasta and
spaghetti sauce.
Death toll likely to rise further
Television footage showed muddy water rushing in the streets,
sweeping away all sorts of debris. Thick layers of mud coated streets
where the waters had subsided. One car was shown to have been carried
over a concrete fence.
Ramos said that officials were still getting reports from the field and that the number of casualties would likely rise.
"Massive flooding had been reported over the region, especially in
Iligan city and Cagayan de Oro city," Ramos said, adding that tens of
thousands of people sought shelter on high ground.
Strong winds toppled trees onto the rain-saturated ground in Polanco
township in Zamboanga del Norte province. An 80-year-old woman drowned
after being trapped in the first floor of her flooded home. A
30-year-old man and a 10-year-old boy also drowned, said provincial
disaster officer Dennis Tenorio.
Sendong, the 19th storm to hit the Philippines this year, came ashore
in eastern Mindanao and blanketed the region with thick rain clouds 400
kilometers in diameter.
It quickly cut across the region overnight and was over the Sulu Sea
by midmorning Saturday, packing maximum winds of 75 kilometers per hour
and gusts of up to 90 kph.
It is expected to hit Palawan province in Luzon by tonight and blow
out of the country late Sunday, forecaster Raymond Ordinario said.
Back-to-back typhoons in September left more than 100 people dead in the Northern Luzon. Associated Press
Tropical storm 'Sendong' slams Surigao del Sur By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) Updated December 17, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (0)
MANILA, Philippines - Tropical storm "Sendong" (international name
Washi) slammed into Surigao del Sur yesterday afternoon, bringing strong
winds and heavy rains, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
Storm warning signal no. 2 remained hoisted over Surigao del Norte,
Siargao Island, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat province, Agusan provinces,
Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and
Camiguin as of 5 p.m. yesterday.
PAGASA said areas under signal no. 12 may experience winds of 61 to 100 kilometers per hour (kph) within the next 24 hours.
It said winds of such intensity could cause moderate damage to
agriculture, adversely affect rice and corn farms, uproot large trees,
and damage nipa and cogon houses.
"Travel by all types of sea vessels is risky in areas under signal no. 2," it said.
Signal no. 1 remained up in Palawan, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Southern
Leyte, Siquijor, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur,
North Cotabato, Samal Island, Maguindanao, Davao del Sur and Zamboanga
provinces.
PAGASA said winds of 45 to 60 kph are expected to affect these areas within the next 36 hours.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of the storm was spotted in the
vicinity of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, packing winds of 65 kph near the
center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, while moving west northwest at 22
kph.
PAGASA said Sendong slightly weakened after making landfall over Hinatuan at around 2:30 p.m. yesterday.
The weather bureau said Sendong will continue to bring rains over the
eastern section of Mindanao and Central Visayas this weekend and rains
would also affect Southern Luzon, particularly Bicol, and Visayas.
PAGASA senior weather forecaster Rene Paciente said Metro Manila
could experience light rains tomorrow as the storm crosses Palawan.
PAGASA warned residents in low lying and mountainous areas against possible flashfloods and landslides.
Likewise, those living in coastal areas are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by the tropical cyclone.
PAGASA said the storm is expected to bring 10 to 25 millimeters per hour (heavy) of rain within its 400-km diameter.
The weather bureau also advised mining operators and small-scale
miners to take necessary precautionary measures against possible
flashfloods and landslides.
Fishing boats and other small sea craft were likewise advised not to
venture out to sea due to strong winds and big waves generated by the
storm.
Three dead
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
executive director Benito Ramos has confirmed that three persons have
died due to heavy flooding in parts of Zamboanga peninsula.
Ramos said a certain Mrs. Damuag, 60, who drowned in Polanco,
Zamboanga del Norte last Thursday, was among the first casualties to be
confirmed.
He said the flood in Polanco town affected 20 families or 100 persons.
"They (affected families) are temporarily evacuated to higher ground
for safety," Ramos said, adding that floodwaters in the area have
subsided.
Ramos said flooding also occurred in barangays Turno and Dicayas in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.
He said six houses and a day care center in Sitio Wakwak in Barangay Turno were destroyed by raging floodwaters.
About 60 families or 300 persons were evacuated in Turno Elementary
School. The flood also affected five other villages, but there were no
reported displacement incidents.
Ramos said residents in Barangay Dicayas chose to stay in their houses despite the rising floodwaters.
"Barangay officials will execute forced evacuation if the situation
warrants," he said, adding that residents in low-lying and mountainous
areas have been alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.
The NDRRMC has asked regional disaster management officials to undertake precautionary measures in their respective areas.
Local disaster management centers were also advised to initiate
preemptive evacuation of families in low-lying areas when needed.
Ramos said they have declared a red alert to ensure that enough
personnel would monitor the situation. A red alert entails the
cancellation of all leaves.
Ramos said the NDRRMC Operation Center has been activated since
Thursday morning to monitor developments and undertake the necessary
actions.
He said weather bulletins have been disseminated to partner agencies
and local governments to allow them to craft preparedness plans.
Stranded
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) prevented close to 8,000
people from traveling because of the strong winds and high waves.
At around 10 a.m. yesterday, the PCG said 7,755 people were already
waiting at sea terminals in 13 seaports where storm signal had been
declared by the weather bureau.
A majority of the stranded passengers were in Cebu with 2,438, while 2,195 were stranded in Sorsogon.
At least 650 were stuck in Dumaguete, 458 in Maasin, and 251 in
Tagbilaran. In Southern Tagalog, 73 were stranded in Puerto Real and 32
in Lucena.
At least 481 were stranded in Albay and five in Masbate, 365 people in Surigao, 200 in Butuan, and hundreds more in Albay.
PCG commandant Admiral Ramon Liwag yesterday issued a warning to the
sea-going public, particularly fishermen, officers and crewmembers as
well as owners and operators of sea vessels.
"The public is advised to plan or postpone trips if the intended
routes and destination will be affected by Sendong so as to avoid being
stranded in areas where vessel movements are suspended. The public is
also encouraged to continuously monitor the regular announcements of
PAGASA and PCG," the PCG said in a statement.
The PCG is also coordinating with the local government units,
Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) and other rescue units in their
respective areas for possible deployment. They have been directed to
coordinate with the tri-media to disseminate the latest development on
the tropical cyclone.
Sendong is the 19th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the first weather disturbance this month. – Evelyn Macairan, Alexis Romero
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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