Glenda death toll hits 51

MANILA, Philippines - The death toll from Typhoon Glenda soared from 20 to 51 yesterday, with 17 persons injured and four others missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

Most of the victims died outdoors, hit by falling trees, collapsing buildings or flying debris.

The NDRRMC said a majority of the fatalities were recorded in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region, at 33.

The families of the victims will receive government assistance amounting to P10,000.

“We still have to find out what exactly are the reasons a lot of our countrymen refused to heed the warnings,” NDRRMC chief Alexander Pama told journalists.

As part of a “zero casualty” effort, the government evacuated nearly 400,000 people from Glenda’s path and warned others to stay indoors.

Aside from Calabarzon, five fatalities were from Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region, four each from Bicol and Central Luzon, two each from Eastern Visayas and Metro Manila and one from Western Visayas.

Harry Tomazar, head of the Calabarzon disaster risk reduction and management office, said five deaths were recorded in Cavite, 11 in Laguna, three in Rizal, six in Batangas and eight in Quezon.

The latest fatalities in Calabarzon were identified as Lino Bardon, Justine Catabit, Kyrame Demisilyo, Cesario Alazar, Ramil Batalyer, Gigi Latag, Ramil Latag, Domingo Montalbo, Matea Rapal, Armalon Binado, Danilo Peralta and Arlene Cavaleda.

Earlier, Tomazar identified five fatalities – Felizardo Ramos, Restituto Tolentino, Angelica Garinio, Butch Ranin and Reynce Benedict Laborada.

In Bataan, Ronilo Cruz, 47, and Crisanto Alcon, 5, drowned, while Marlou Marcelino, 25, and Ismael Sanlandanan, 64, died of heart attack as Glenda unleashed its fury across the archipelago.

Bataan Gov. Albert Raymond Garcia said the provincial board has approved a resolution declaring the province under a state of calamity.

Garcia said at least 9,351 families, mostly from the coastal villages, were displaced. Of the number, 6,574 families were sheltered in different evacuation centers as of press time.

In Negros Occidental, two of three men reported missing at the height of Glenda’s fury were found dead yesterday.

Michael Pueda, 17, and Ronnel Miraflores, 22, reportedly drowned after they went out to fish in Moises Padilla town Wednesday morning, said Isagani Republica, head of the provincial disaster management office.

The victims were recovered from a river in the nearby town of Binalbagan, while their companion, Jason Baladjay, has yet to be found.

In Zambales, Mario Paulo, 52, died after he was hit by a fallen tree.

Damage

The NDRRMC said more than 800,000 people or 167,000 families have been affected by the storm.

Of the number, more than half a million individuals or 99,000 families are currently sheltered in 1,200 evacuation centers nationwide.

Partial reports showed Glenda damaged at least P1 billion worth of agricultural products and nearly P49 million worth of infrastructure.

A total of 26,259 houses in Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Metro Manila were destroyed.

The NDRRMC said 23 roads and two bridges in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Cordillera were left impassable due to floods.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, five road sections in Southern Tagalog region, particularly in Batangas, three in Central Luzon, one in Occidental Mindoro and one in Bicol region were closed to traffic due to floods, landslides and fallen trees.

The Calumpang Bridge in Batangas City collapsed at around 9 a.m. Wednesday, said Phillip Baroja, city administrator.

Baroja said the water level in Calumpang River rose and the current was so strong it caused the bridge’s foundation to give way.

He said no one was reported hurt in the incident, but students will have difficulty in going to school aside from additional travel time and fare.

Among the affected roads in Central Luzon were the Aurora-Nueva Ecija, the Layac-Balanga-Mariveles port road, the Lalawigan section in Samal, Bataan, and the Baliwag-Candaba-Sta. Ana road in Candaba, Pampanga.

In Batangas, roads that were left impassable either due to fallen threes, floods and rock or landslides were the Lemery-Taal diversion road, the Lobo-Malabrigo, the Batangas-Tabangco, the Lipa-Balete and Talisay-Laurel-Agoncillo road due to fallen trees and landslides.

Glenda, however, failed to raise the water level in major dams in Luzon despite the heavy rains. – With Evelyn Macairan, Ed Amoroso, Dino Balabo, Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu, Danny Dangcalan, Michelle Zoleta, Arnell Ozaeta, Roel Pareño, Juancho Mahusay, Raffy Viray