‘Reming’ exits: death toll hits 26

After battering the Philippines twice, Typhoon "Reming" finally left the country yesterday, leaving at least 26 people dead, 130,000 homeless and 28 others missing.

But the country might again be in for stormy weather because of tropical storm "Seniang" which is blowing toward the Bicol Region, where Reming first slammed into the country.

Packing winds of 65 kilometers per hour, Seniang was spotted at 900 kilometers southeast of Catarman, Samar, moving west-northwest at 22 kph. Weather forecasters expect Seniang to gain strength within the next 24 hours, and to be 500 kilometers east-southeast of Catarman.

Reming (international code name Xangsane), on the other hand, was headed for Taiwan but the weather in the northern provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Abra remained stormy.

Storm Signal No. 3 remained in effect over these provinces, but the storm signal might be lowered as Reming moves away. Coastal waters in these areas would be dangerous to all types of vessels.

Moving north-northeast at a sluggish 15 kph and packing sustained winds of 130 kph and gusts of 160 kph, Reming is expected to be 260 kilometers northwest of Basco, Batanes, by this afternoon, the weather bureau said.

Among the dead were two couples, whose bodies were found in Laguna de Bay yesterday, near the towns of San Pedro and Biñan, police said.

Their van was swept away by fierce floodwaters while crossing Pook River in Silang, Cavite. Police found the van about 200 meters away from the bridge.

Many of the dead were killed by floods, falling trees or downed power lines.

Reming made landfall last Saturday and first ravaged provinces south of Metro Manila, crossed south of the capital from the Bicol Region, through Cavite and towards Bataan.

After hitting open water in the South China Sea, Reming gained strength and veered northward, devastating provinces in Central and Northern Luzon.

Disaster officials expect the body count to exceed 26 as situation reports from the provinces continued filtering in to the National


Disaster Coordinating Council’s headquarters at Camp Aquinaldo in Quezon City.

Rescue operations continued in flood-ravaged areas, especially in Central Luzon, which was hit hard by Reming’s second pass over the country.

Chief Superintendent Roberto Calinisan, Central Luzon police director, said raging floodwaters washed away several dikes and bridges. Even the regional police’s headquarters in San Fernando in Pampanga went under five feet of floodwaters.

Damage to crops was at an estimated P500 million but is expected to go up, according to the Department of Agriculture.

However Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara maintained that the damage to rice lands was minimal since most of the palay crops in the affected areas have been harvested. – With Rocel Felix, Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu, Rene Alviar, Joe Leuterio, Charlie Lagasca, Eva de Leon, Teddy Molina