BAGUIO CITY, November 1, 8:00 PM – 16 people, including four minors, died while two others were reportedly injured after the strong winds and heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Rosita pounded the different parts of the Cordillera for over twelve hours Tuesday.
Here’s how Rosita affected the region:
* Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 3 was hoisted over Ifugao, Kalinga, Benguet, including Baguio City, Mountain Province and Abra for most of the day while Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 2 was hoisted over Apayao during the wrath of the weather disturbance.
*The Province of Abra cancelled classes and work from October 29-31 while Apayao, Benguet, and Mountain Province followed suit for October 30 and 31. Baguio City also cancelled classes and work on October 30 and extend the same the following day. Ifugao and Kalinga cancelled classes for the 30th. Classes up to senior high on the 29th were cancelled due to the raising of typhoon signal number 2 in the Region.
*A huge landslide hit several houses and structures, including the building of the Department of Public works and Highways – Second Mountain Province District Engineering Office (DPWH-SMPDEO) at Sacrang, Banawel, Natonin, Mountain Province, last October 30 in the afternoon. As of 8:00 PM, November 1, at least 8 bodies were retrieved while some 22 others are still missing due to the incident.
*In Batad, Banaue, Ifugao, 48-year old Baltazar Pinnay and his three siblings, Rexibelle, 11, Rhezel, 10 and Rydnell, 8, died after their house was buried by a landslide that came from a mountain slope at the height of the typhoon while his wife and 4 other siblings who were on the opposite side of their house were able to cheat death from the tragic landslide incident.
*5-year old Eurich Jane Galo died while her younger brother, Aaron, 4 and Maribel Giwagiw, 19 were injured after a similar landslide buried their residence at Mabilong, Lubuagan, Kalinga early Tuesday afternoon or when the typhoon was traversing the Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet areas.
*In Lias, Barlig, Mountain Province, 22-year old Tifen Wangdali died after he was buried by a landslide while Jeffry Nagawa, 42, of Alunogan, Natonin, Mountain Province also died after his residence was buried by a landslide triggered by the strong winds and heavy rains brought by the typhoon.
*In Lacub, Abra, 58-year old Vedenacio Vicencio Villaruz reportedly died after he allegedly drowned in a river system in their place while he was crossing the same en route to a safer place at the height of the weather disturbance.
Based on a report from the Cordillera office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR), as of October 31 in the afternoon, there were 8 barangays that were directly affected with the occurrence of landslides in their places wherein there were 864 families or 2,800 individuals which were accommodated inside identified evacuation centers while there were 367 families or 1,360 individuals who were given the necessary assistance even if they opted to stay outside evacuation centers or with their relatives or neighbors.
Also, there are still 21 road sections that remain closed to vehicular traffic, particularly Kennon Road, some parts of Halsema highway, Andres Cosalan road, Abra-Kalinga road, Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road, Mountain Province-Kalinga road, Bontoc-Barlig-Natonin-Paracelis road, Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias boundary road, Banaue-Hungduan-Tinoc-Benguet boundary road among other major road sections in the different parts of the region.
The Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) is still awaiting the detailed reports from the different local disaster risk reduction and management offices regionwide on the extent of damage brought by Tropical Cyclone Rosita to government and private infrastructure, agriculture and the sources of livelihood of the people.
By: Herald Express News Team
Banner photo from Natonin MPS Facebook page