MANILA, Philippines - At least two people died while 48 others were missing as Typhoon Labuyo (international name Utor) lashed Bicol and Luzon yesterday.
Labuyo, packing winds of 140 kilometers per hour near its center and gusts of up to 170 kph, triggered landslides and floods, cut power and communications, and demolished houses as it made landfall over Casiguran, Aurora.
Reports said a 22-year-old man from Benguet was buried alive in a landslide in Tuba, Benguet while a woman was carried away by strong river currents in Isabela at the height of the typhoon.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 48 fishermen were missing in Bicol and Pangasinan.
The NDRRMC and the Department of Social Welfare and Development reported 471 families or over 1,500 persons displaced by the typhoon in Central Luzon and Bicol.
In Aurora province, 94 families or 416 persons sought temporary shelter in 16 evacuation centers.
At least 87 families, composed of 411 individuals, from City Camp Lagoon, Baguio, were evacuated early yesterday morning to safer grounds as floodwaters rose in the area.
Forty-six families or 192 individuals were also evacuated to Tublay, Benguet.
Labuyo exits
Labuyo slightly gained strength over the West Philippine Sea as it exited the country at 4 p.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
Public storm warning signal number 2, however, remained hoisted over Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, La Union and Pangasinan as of 5 p.m. yesterday.
Signal no. 1 was up in Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Isabela, Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Ilocos Norte, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales.
Storm warning signals in other areas, including Metro Manila, were lifted as of 5 p.m.
At 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Labuyo was at 230 kilometers northwest of Baguio City or 200 km west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
It was forecast to move northwest at 24 kph and predicted to be at 480 kms northwest of Baguio City or outside the Philippine area of responsibility this afternoon.
Labuyo was the strongest typhoon to hit the country so far this year, PAGASA officer-in-charge Vicente Malano said.
Weather forecaster Jori Loiz warned residents in Northern Luzon against possible landslides.
He said the typhoon would still enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing moderate to heavy rains over the western sections of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in the next 24 hours.
Dead, missing
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Northern Luzon said Jomar Salicong was buried by a mudslide while clearing a clogged canal at Kilometer 14, Barnagay Kabuyao, in Poblacion Tuba, Benguet yesterday.
Salicong was the first casualty of Labuyo, which dumped heavy rains over Baguio City while moving toward the lowlands heading for the South China Sea.
In Camarines Norte, 12 fishermen were reported missing after they went fishing in four groups on Friday and Saturday.
They were identified as Jonar Villeno, Orlando Candelaria, Eddie Candelaria, Melchor Candelaria, of Barangay Bagasbas, Daet; Nestor Ongog, Alex Fajardo, Edgar Ongog, Jimmy Vargas of Barangay 4; Ronnie Gabar, Emman Jalimao of Barangay 2; Bong Babala and Crisanto Gutierrez of Barnagay Hinapaan, all of Mercedes town.
In Catanduanes, the NDRRMC said 42 of the 51 fishermen that went missing on Saturday had already gone home safely on Sunday.
In Pangasinan, a total of 25 fishermen, 20 of them on board two boats, from the towns of Infanta and Bolinao were reported missing.
They were identified as M/B Super Boy captain Ramil Rosal, Ricardo Etac, Igupan Bulig, Balong Nical, Narding Nical, Daniel Maloon, Andy Lebios, Efepanio Rosal, Dodong Rosal and Aripin.
Another group of fishermen from the same town were reported missing: Larry Evangelista, (boat captain of M/B Bon-Bon), Geronmio Igang, John Malicdem, Oscar de la Cruz, Reynaldo Corpus, a certain Pedro, Pablito Evangelista, a certain Bong, and Arren Lauren.
Six fishermen from Bolinao town who failed to return home were Jose Rolly Bagor, Tito Dagun, Gerry Barrientos, Rosenda Cas, Rolly Boy Maratas and Manding Carranza.
National disaster chief Eduardo del Rosario said search and rescue were being conducted for the missing fishermen.
Baguio roads
Strong winds toppled trees that caused blackouts in several areas in Baguio and Benguet, while a province-wide outage occurred in Ifugao, said Cordillera police director Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong.
Several landslides practically closed down the Baguio-Bontoc Road (Halsema Highway) the whole morning yesterday but it was cleared of debris by noon. – With Raymund Catindig, Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu, Janvic Mateo, Eva Visperas, Dino Balabo, Rey Galupo, Charlie Lagasca, Rainier Allan Ronda, Czeriza Valencia, Rudy Santos, Cet Dematera, Celso Amo, Artemio Dumlao, Arnell Ozaeta