Family of 7 dies in Leyte landslide

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines - All seven members of a family in a northern barangay of Tacloban City died after a landslide buried their house at around 10:20 p.m. on Wednesday (March 16).

Office of the Civil Defense OIC-regional director Peps Pabilona issued this report based on the confirmation of Department of Health-8 director Edgar Gonzaga that the seven, of the Jordan family, were rushed to the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center but were declared dead on arrival.

"Wala pa sila ibinigay na mga pangalan ng mga namatay, but it was already confirmed and reported by the DOH highest official and were still monitoring other similar incidents across the region." Pabilona said.

Pabilona said the landslide was caused by a 3-day continuous downpour since Monday, and that five other houses (not five persons as reported in other papers) at nearby Brgy. Nulatula were also buried an hour earlier.

There were no casualties in the earlier landslide because the residents were able to get out of the five houses minutes ahead of the incident.

Pabilona said authorities have been conducting search and rescue operations around the city, considering that 90 percent of the 138 barangays here have been submerged by floodwaters.

In Barangay CCF-Diit, also in the city, 12 families were affected after two houses there were also damaged by landslide.

Pabilona further told The FREEMAN that over 3,000 people coming from the different barangays in Tacloban have sought shelter in the city's Convention Center, Balyu-an Tower, San Jose Barangay Hall, and Brgy. Nulatula Multi-purpose Center.

Senior Supt. Wilson Caubat, City Police director, said the City's Public Safety Company yesterday were still conducting an evacuation of families at Barangay Apitong, one of the most affected villages by flooding.

Pabilona said the flooding at a bridge in nearby town of Palo in Leyte made the road intersection going to Ormoc City and to Southern Leyte impassable to motorists.

In Southern Leyte, a separate minor landslide also occurred at Brgy. Buac Gamay in Sogod town due to non-stop downpour. There were no reported casualties, however, and 30 families have been evacuated to the town's gym, said Pabilona.

He added that there were other several small landslides and floodings that blocked the roads in Brgy. Patane of Paranas town in Samar, and the Taft-to-Borongan City road in Eastern Samar.

Meanwhile, in a DYLA-Cebu radio report yesterday, a 65-year-old man died from flooding in Sierra Bullones town of Bohol. Three other flood-stricken towns in that province that were direly affected were Jagna, Dimiao and Bilar.

A correspondent of The FREEMAN in Bohol called in yesterday that another town, Garcia-Hernandez was also struck by flooding. There were no other details yet as of presstime. – THE FREEMAN