‘Milenyo’ death toll reaches 22

As of yesterday’s count, tropical depression "Milenyo" left 22 fatalities, eight injured and four missing, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.

The eight new fatalities were reported in Parañaque City, Rizal and Camarines Sur, where a family of five was buried alive when heavy rains spawned by "Milenyo" collapsed a hill and engulfed their dwelling in mud before dawn Tuesday.

Civil defense officials said it took rescuers eight hours to retrieve the bodies of fisherman Ramon Dumalasa, 49, his wife, Maria, 43, and three of their four children Ronald, 11, Arian, 3, and Ronald, 2.

The Dumalasas’ eldest son, Raymund, 17, survived the tragedy but sustained injuries.

Renato Arevalo, Bicol director of the Office of Civil Defense, said the landslide occurred at about 3 a.m. when the family members were still sound asleep inside their home in Barangay Pantat.

The three other new fatalities either drowned or were electrocuted.

Meanwhile, a certain Leonardo Bornilla, 79, drowned after strong current swept him away while crossing the Gamot River in Barangay Pinit, Ligao City last Sunday. His body was found in a spillway two days later. — Paolo Romero, Celso Amo