Quinta leaves deaths, damages in W. Visayas

CEBU, Philippines - Tropical storm Quinta left with three dead persons in Iloilo, and heavy damages in Western Visayas.

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) VI identified the fatalities as Arnulfo Bayutas, 18, of Brgy. Lico-an, Barotac Nuevo;  Warlito Lutero, 50, of Brgy. Panuran, Janiuay; and Erlinda Almirante, 60, of Brgy. Aglubong, Janiuay. All three drowned while crossing strong currents of overflowing creeks in separate areas.

The RDRRMC has yet to confirm earlier reports that two persons remained missing. One of them was only identified as a certain Osot Sabdane, 40, of San Miguel town while the identity of the other one, who was reportedly a resident of Brgy. Sagcub in Lambunao, was yet to be known.

As of 12:00 noon yesterday, the RDRRMC and the Office of Civil Defense-6 reported that 1,914 families were affected at the onslaught of Quinta in Western Visayas.

Most of these families were in Iloilo province, which has reported that some 1,843 families were temporarily displaced by the typhoon.

The RDRRMC reported that 53 villages in 10 towns (Barotac Viejo, Janiuay, Alimodian, Lambunao Duenas, Barotac Nuevo, Anilao, Cabatuan, Concepcion, and Dingle) and the component city of Passi were affected.

Calinog town Mayor Alex Centena said the road network going to the towns of Tapaz and Dumalag were already passable, but residents could not make through the Passi City areas because the bridge at Brgy. Cabagiao was destroyed.

Quinta further affected 22 villages in seven towns in Capiz province, and that 40 villages in the towns of Panit-an, Maayon, Sigma, Dumarao, Dumalag, Tapaz and Cuartero were flooded due to heavy downpour.

The Capiz disaster management body reported that 73 barangays in seven towns reported damage to agriculture, with a total of 1,359 hectares of rice farms affected.

In Negros Occidental, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office said several houses were damaged in Escalante City, Sagay City, Silay City, and in E. B. Magalona and Pulupandan towns.

In Sagay City, two houses were destroyed and 14 were damaged in Brgy. Himoga-an. In Silay City, a house was destroyed in Brgy. 3, while families occupying an undetermined number of damaged houses sought shelter in their neighbors’ houses.  (FREEMAN)