Regional authorities said at least 59 people are dead in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas in the wake of Tropical Depression Usman, which downgraded to a low-pressure area after making landfall in Eastern Samar Saturday morning.
Latest data from the Office of Civil Defense in Region 5 show that 50 died in the region due to landslides and flooding brought by Usman, while 11 were injured and 11 are missing.
But the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said the death toll could rise further as reports come in.
The OCD accounted for three deaths in a landslide in Legazpi City, four were recorded dead in Sorsogon, two in Camarines Sur, and seven in Masbate.
In Tiwi, Albay, four bodies were recovered at 9 p.m. from a landslide last night in Purok 1, Brgy. Sugo. Five others were injured in the landslide.
Police Regional Spokesperson Malu Calubaquib said three more families are still unaccounted for in the Tiwi landslide.
9 dead in Eastern Visayas
In Eastern Visayas, Eddie Panao, 36, and his two children, Edmond, 15, and Mea, 14, all perished after their house in Brgy. Henanoragan in Lope de Vega town was buried in a landslide. Meanwhile, Elves “Junjun” Mindaño, 26, of Brgy. Osmeña in the same town died due to drowning.
Nene Lojero, 28, Shenna de los Reyes,12, and Arjay de los Reyes, 3, also died from drowning in Brgy. Cag-anahaw in Calbayog City, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).
Still missing are Luis Salon, 52 and his wife, Leonora, 45, and son Luigy, 7, who are residents of Brgy. Buenaserte, Victoria, Northern Samar. Their boat capsized on December 28.
Also missing are Reynaldo Lojero, 32, Regine Lojero, 3, Cyril Lojero, 5, and Francis de los Reyes.
The OCD is still confirming reports that seven have died in Calbayog City when it was flooded during the onslaught of Usman.
Usman left several local government units in Eastern Visayas flooded, which immediately received assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), officials said.
The DSWD said six municipalities were directly affected by the storm, or a total of 22 barangays with 827 families and 2,213 individuals. This was aside from the 5,326 families or 19,200 individuals who were displaced due to preemptive evacuation.
The DSWD has provided relief assistance worth ₱28,851 to affected families and individuals. It has ₱3 million on standby which can be used to purchase additional family food packs once the need arises.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the low-pressure area, combined with the tail-end of a cold front, will continue to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.
Source: CNN Philippines
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