12 dead as 'Pepeng' returns

MANILA, Philippines - The return of storm “Pepeng” left 12 more people dead in separate landslides that struck the provinces of Benguet and Palawan yesterday.

Initial reports said six people, including two children, a 28-year-old mother and her two-year-old daughter, perished in separate landslides that struck the towns of Mankayan and Tublay in Benguet province.

Six health workers who were trapped inside a municipal health office of Taytay town in Palawan that collapsed Wednesday were found dead by rescue teams yesterday.

Officials said the heavy rains induced by the storm for the past few days caused the soil around the health center to erode and cave in.

The six fatalities were identified as Nimpha Porras, Elmie Doria, Josephine Genanda, Cresilda Satungcal, Marjorie Dacillo, employees of the municipal health office of Taytay, and a certain Chemelyn Gamarcha who was only visiting the center at the time.

In Mankayan, cousins Jolina Mae Capia-ao Astudillo and John Kennedy Capia-ao Fagsao were killed after a landslide buried their house at Upper Guiwe, Barangay Tabio early yesterday.

An employee of the Benguet Provincial Engineering Office identified as Danny Cuyupan also perished when he was buried in mud while helping clear roads in La Trinidad.

Vehicles that were parked along the roads leading to La Trinidad were also swept away by the landslides and mudflows.

Apart from Cuyupan, there were no reports of additional casualties or injuries.

At the same time, 28-year-old Deborah Buyayo, who was two months pregnant, and her two-year-old daughter Shandel were buried in a landslide in Tublay town, Benguet.

The Benguet police also reported the body of a high school student identified as Antoleen Kimmayong was retrieved from the landslide that struck Barangay Abatan in Buguias town.

The heavy rains brought by Pepeng rendered roads in the provinces of northern Luzon impassable due to landslides and mudflows.

In Baguio City, families living in City Camp Lagoon were forced to evacuate when floodwaters rushed in.

The Cagayan Valley became isolated as all roads leading to the region were hit by landslides.

A bridge leading to Carrangian town in Nueva Vizcaya was washed away while a portion of the national highway leading to the entire region of Cagayan went underwater, rendering it impassable to all types of vehicles.

Landslides and mudflows also blocked the Nueva Vizcaya-Benguet highway leading to Baguio City.

The state weather bureau said Pepeng would bring more rains in the region, including provinces in Central Luzon and Pangasinan in the next two days.

Pepeng continued to linger over Isabela province as of 4 p.m. yesterday.

It was last spotted some 60 kilometers south of Tuguegarao City, packing winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) deputy administrator Nathaniel Cruz said Pepeng was expected to move west slowly.

Cruz warned residents living near the Agno River, Cagayan, Pampanga and Abra river basins to evacuate as massive flooding is expected.

He said the Pantabangan Dam is expected to release water that would affect the towns of Rizal, Bongabon, General Natividad, Palayan City, Cabanatuan City and Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija.

Residents in areas near the Magat dam in Isabela, including the municipalities of Ramon, San Mateo, Aurora, Cabanatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Burgos, Naguilian and Gamu were also advised to evacuate.

Susan Espinueva, officer in charge of Hydrometeorological Division of Pagasa, said the increase in the outflow of Binga dam in Benguet necessitated the further increase in the outflow of San Roque dam in Pangasinan.

Espinueva said the areas that are likely to be affected in Pangasinan are the towns of San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Sta. Maria, Asingan, Villasis, Alcala, Bautista, Rosales and Bayambang.

“The slow movement of Pepeng is detrimental to the watershed,” Espinueva said.

Pagasa said a gradual improvement in the weather is expected on Sunday as Pepeng is expected to finally exit the country toward the South China Sea.

Last weekend, Pepeng (international name Parma), categorized as a super typhoon, made landfall in Cagayan before moving to Ilocos Norte.

A high-pressure area off Hong Kong apparently prevented the exit of Pepeng and caused it to linger over Northern Luzon. –With Helen Flores, Charlie Lagasca, Arnell Ozaeta, Ed Amoroso