‘Pepeng’ death toll rises to 269
After more than a week of pummeling the entire Northern and Central Luzon, tropical depression “Pepeng” (international codename: Parma) started to move out of the country on Saturday, leaving at least 269 people dead, with authorities expecting the fatality figure to rise since search and retrieval operations are still ongoing for 49 others who were reported missing.
The fatality figure, however, does not include the 14 confirmed dead – 12 in Benguet and two in Camarines Norte – when Pepeng, then a supertyphoon, first battered several provinces in Luzon early this month.
In the latest report released by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), most of the fatalities are from Benguet which was hit by widespread landslides the other day. Benguet was at the receiving end of Pepeng’s comeback fury with 141 deaths, 48 injured, and 23 missing.
Senior Superintendent Loreto Espinili, provincial director of the Benguet police, said almost all of the fatalities died in the widespread landslides that hit several areas in the province.
“Search and retrieval operations are still ongoing. Relatives of the landslides victims have already volunteered to help to expedite the retrieval,” said Espinili.
Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestaño, director of the CAR police, said a total of 221 people were confirmed dead, 71 injured, and 53 missing in five provinces of the region.
For his part, Chief Superintendent Ramon Gatan, director of the Ilocos Region Police, said a total of 43 people were reported killed in his regional jurisdiction while seven others are still missing, all of them in La Union.
Of the reported fatalities, Gatan said 33 died on the landslides near the Naguillian Road in La Union, eight were killed due to flashflood in Pangasinan and two each in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
"Our personnel are still in the field to assist the affected residents especially in Pangasinan while others were deployed to conduct clearing operations along the Naguillian Road,” said Gatan in a phone interview.
Aside from the fatality figures in the two regions, reports reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City revealed that there also two others who died in Nueva Ecija, one in Quezon province and two more in Camarines Norte.
Both Pestaño and Gatan, who also chair the regional disaster and coordinating council in their respective regions, also confirmed the reports of power outages in some provinces in CAR and Ilocos Region.
In its latest weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Scientific Administration (PAGASA) said that Pepeng is already moving westward at 13 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center. It is expected to be at around 510 kilometers west of Vigan City, Ilocos Sur this Sunday.
Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over La Union and Western Pangasinan. Residents in low-lying areas and near the mountain slopes were advised to take all necessary precautions against flashfloods and landslides.
The NDCC said all three main roads to Baguio City and the rest of Mountain Province – Kennon Road, Naguilian Road, and Marcos Highway – had been closed to the motorists due to simultaneous landslides and mudslides. The government is now working double time to clear these major roads to make storm-affected areas accessible for the delivery of relief and other assistance.
San Roque Dam safe
Meanwhile, NDCC spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres appealed to the public, particularly those from Pangasinan to remain calm as he said there is no truth to text messages circulating that states that the San Roque Dam was in danger of collapsing.
“Di totoo ang message na sumabog ang San Roque Dam ... Kaya nakikiusap ako na huminahon,” said Torres even as the San Roque Power Corporation issued a public advisory assuring that the dam is “intact” and there is no crack. “The dam is strong and firm and there will be no dam break.” (“It’s not true that San Roque Dam collapsed… That’s why we are appealing to everyone to remain calm.”)
Malacañang denounced the spreading of misinformation about the San Roque Dam.
“We strongly condemn the people responsible for spreading misinformation that created panic among the people in this state of calamity,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said yesterday over government-run DZRB.
“These kinds of people or organizations have no place in our society in times like this,” he added.
Remonde said the local government units (LGUs) have been directed, particularly the Philippine National Police (PNP), to “immediately react, verify, and foil the spreading” of these kinds of misinformation.
Floods rising in Tarlac
In Tarlac, floodwater started rising in almost all towns, rendering the province impassable to those who want to go to Baguio City since Saturday morning.
Governor Vic Yap reported that floods started rising up to 10 feet in many barangays in the towns of La Paz, Paniqui, Concepcion, Ramos, and San Manuel, making Macarthur Highway impassable to all types of vehicles.
Joy Franklin of the governor’s office said that the floodwaters continued to rise in many towns in the province after excess waters were released from the Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija and San Roque Dam in Pangasinan.
Latest NDCC report further show that water in some areas in Northern Luzon have started to recede but power has yet to be restored in several towns.
Hardest hit by floods are Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, and Nueva Ecija as well some portions of Tarlac due to huge amount of rainfall and the release of excess water from Patabangan, San Roque, Magat, and Binga dams.
Baguio mansion open to evacuees
As this developed, President Arroyo has opened the Mansion House in Baguio City for evacuees affected by typhoon “Pepeng,” the same manner that she opened Malacañang to victims of tropical storm “Ondoy” in late September.
In a press statement released on Saturday, the Chief Executive said she immediately issued a directive Friday night to use the Mansion House as an evacuation center, especially for government employees affected by the typhoon.
The President also allowed the use of the Vice President’s cottage in Baguio for use by the Baguio City Disaster Coordinating Council.
President Arroyo also mobilized the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to assist in the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in Baguio City, particularly at the Mansion House.
Likewise, the President has allowed the use of “Malacañang ti Amianan” or “Malacañang of the North” in Paoay, Ilocos Norte by the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) in Region I. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the Malacañang of the North was also opened for use as evacuation center for the typhoon victims in Ilocos Region.
Mrs. Arroyo was in Tuguegarao, Cagayan yesterday to lead the RDCC meeting. She also went to Pangasinan to personally inspect the damage and facilitate relief efforts in the area. (With reports from Madel R. Sabater, Dexter A. See, Franco G. Regala, and Fred Roxas)
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/224163/pepeng-death-toll-rises-269
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