What was supposed to be a festive season turned into nightmare as six people died while 19 others went missing due to rains spawned by a shearline that caused widespread flooding in Bicol Region (Region 5), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), and Northern Mindanao (Region 10) this Christmas season, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Monday, Dec. 26.

According to the NDRRMC, two of the fatalities were recorded in Bicol Region (Region 5) while four others were in Northern Mindanao (Region 10).

In Camarines Sur, one-and-a-half-year-old Zakiya Rae Mariano and 64-year-old Nelson Dela Cruz drowned in Libmanan and Tinambac municipalities, respectively.

In Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, a certain Fe Sencil drowned in Brgy. Macabayao while 68-year-old Felicidad Dangcalan died of cardiac arrest after she was rescued from flooding in her home in Brgy. Naga. Mark Lester Dampas, 20, and Jestoni Lapat, 27, also died in Tudela, Misamis Occidental but the causes of their death have yet to be validated by the NDRRMC.

Aside from this, the NDRRMC said it was also verifying reports from the municipal disaster risk reduction and management office (MDRRMO) of Clarin, Iloilo that two people died in the area due to drowning.

Carmelito Heray, head of Clarin MDRRMO, said two individuals died while a 17-year-old teenager went missing when a flashflood hit the municipality on Christmas Day.

Heray said one of them was a person with disability (PWD) who could not evacuate in time when floodwaters came rushing in while the other was a resident who was swept away by flood while trying to cross a bridge.

“One of the casualties was a 27-year-old PWD who was caught by flood amid the heavy rains. Meanwhile, the other one got caried away by strong current while trying to cross a bridge,” Heray said in a radio interview over dzBB.

Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said most of the missing persons were fishermen who still sailed to earn a living despite the bad weather.

In Northern Samar, five fishermen were reported missing after they encountered rough seas due to inclement weather while on a fishing venture in the waters off Palapag municipality. They were identified as Bonifacio Cano, Victor Ronato, Along Crebello, Renaldo Barojabo, and Felipe Barojabo.

Dominador Cionelo, 40, was last reported alive on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, when he sailed on his fishing boat to catch fish in waters off Brgy. San Rafael, Dulag, Leyte but he failed to return home.

Three individuals also went missing in Brgy. Taboo, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental and they were identified as Christiline Lomo, 39; Ronilo Abastas, 39; and Christal Bella Abastas, four-years-old.

Ten individuals were also reported missing in Virac, Catanduanes. They were Noel Zafe, 41; Arnel Araojo, 43; Norman Lim, 34; Domingo Borilla, 33; Jason Mandasoc, 31; Dante David, Ringo Tupig, Willy Uchi, Jobert Teano, and Juanito Estrella Jr.

A total of 23,762 families or 100,691 individuals in Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan or Region 4B), Region 5, 8, 9, and 10 were affected by rains caused by a shearline, the NDRRMC said.

Of the number, 9,216 families or 44,672 individuals were displaced and spent Christmas Day in 27 evacuation centers. across Region 4B, 5, 8, 9, and 10.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it evacuated 15 families in Barangay Del Paz and Barangay Lupagan in Clarin on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, 10 families were trapped due to flooding that already reached the roof of their houses in Barangay Maningcol, Ozamiz City. Around 30 families in Brgy. Matibay, Lamitan City, Basilan were also evacuated by the PCG on Dec. 25 due to flooding.

Christmas tragedy

Heray said search and rescue operations for the missing person in Clarin have yet to start due to ongoing rains.

He said the rains started to pour in on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and intensified midnight of Christmas Day on Dec. 25.

“We have two rivers here in Clarin and in between is Barangay Masabud. We cannot respond to residents asking for rescue there because the only access to the village is through a spillway. The problem is that the three bridges leading to the area were all destroyed by flood,” Heray said.

“The waters from the mountains all came rushing down to the villages. Today, we are experiencing slight rains but the flood wouldn’t subside,” he added.

Heray asked for intervention from the national government as he said that air assets would be helpful to conduct rescue operations and bring relief goods to the affected communities.

“We cannot deploy our big dump trucks because these would only be swept away by raging floods. Maybe [air assets] from the national government can help us,” he said.

Electricity was also cut off in the province to ensure the safety of residents while water supply was affected when four to eight pipes burst in Clarin’s water district, Heray said.

“We need help from the national government. Please help us. We are under red alert now and the rivers here have all grown in size by six-fold. We are worried for the villagers,” he added.

Agri, infra damage

The NDRRMC said initial damage to agriculture was pegged at P52,792,614 in Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.

Among the heavily affected areas were Albay, Camarines, Norte, and Camarines Sur where agricultural products such as rice and corn were destroyed; and high-value crops in Catanduanes.

Meanwhile, damage to infrastructure was estimated at P5,280,000 after spillway projects, bridges, power lines, power systems, and pipeline sources were damaged in Camarines Sur, Misamis Oriental, and Misamis Occidental. There were 48 houses that were also damaged in Mimaropa, Eastern Visayas, and Northern Mindanao.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Martin Sadongdong

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