Biliran under state of calamity due to ‘Urduja’

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 18 -- The Biliran government has placed the province under a state of calamity after Tropical Storm Urduja destroyed bridges and caused landslides.

“We have been hit by strong typhoons in the past such as super-typhoon Yolanda, but ‘Urduja’ is the most damaging storm,” said Biliran Governor Gerardo Espina, Jr Monday morning.

“The extent of damage was unexpected with ‘Urduja’s’ maximum winds of less than 100 kilometers, but its heavy rains dumped three days before its landfall was very destructive,” the governor added.
Landslides have occurred in the towns of Naval, Caibiran, and Almeria.

Floodwaters cut off Caraycaray and Catmon Bridges, making Biliran town inaccessible to the provincial capital of Naval.

The governor also confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte and some of his Cabinet members will visit the typhoon-wrecked province on Monday to assess the damage caused by “Urduja”.

He said the President will arrive around 2:30 p.m. at the Naval State University in the capital town.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, and Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol will be with the Chief Executive.

“We are upbeat about this visit for them to personally see the urgency to address the needs of our people and rehabilitate damaged infrastructure,” Espina said in a video interview posted on Biliran Island Facebook page.

The governor said at least 26 were confirmed dead but only 23 bodies been retrieved as of Monday morning. At least 28 people are still missing.

Biliran is one of the country's smallest provinces with a land area of 536 square kilometers and a population of 171,612 as of 2015. Formerly a sub-province of Leyte, it became an independent province in 1992. (SQM/PNA)

Army condemns NPA attacks vs. relief troops

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 18  -- Top military officials condemned the attack of New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists against soldiers delivering food relief to families affected by Tropical Storm “Urduja” in Catubig, Northern Samar, calling it cowardly and inhuman.

“It is unfortunate and sad that our soldiers were fired upon by terrorist NPAs while serving the people,” said Col. George Domingo, commander of the Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion based in Catubig in a message sent to Philippine News Agency Sunday night.

“This activity is a clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law and we call upon the people to act against these atrocities,” he added.

Pfc. Roland Gomez suffered a bullet wound in the buttocks while Corporal Yzazel Laure was hit in the belly when rebels attacked them, triggering an hour-long firefight Sunday afternoon in Hinagonoyan village, Catubig town.

Maj. Gen. Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID), also condemned the attack against soldiers.

“This recent attack on our soldiers who are responding to the needs of the communities affected by the typhoon is another testament that the NPAs have no regards on the welfare of the people who are already suffering from a disaster," Farnacio said.

“The 8ID will remain steadfast in helping communities in times of calamities despite the atrocities inflicted by the terrorist NPAs,” he added.

A total of 7,500 families or 28,900 individuals from 47 villages of Catubig town were displaced by widespread flooding after the tropical storm dumped heavy rains for three days last week.

The local government has placed Catubig town under a state of calamity. The third-class municipality with a population of more than 33,000 is about 305 kilometers north of Tacloban, the regional capital. (RTA/PNA)

'Urduja' death toll climbs to 32 in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 18  -- Death toll due to the onslaught of “Urduja” in Eastern Visayas climbed to 32 while 29 others remain missing, the Philippine National Police Region 8 reported Monday.

Tropical depression “Urduja” caused flooding in 268 villages and 26 landslides. At least 12 people were reported injured.

Of the 32 deaths, 27 are from Biliran, two from Ormoc City, two from Samar, and one from Leyte. Most of the victims were buried alive by the landslides, reports said.

Landslides have been reported in Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Tacloban City, and Ormoc City.

In a separate report, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) said the storm has displaced 52,428 families in Eastern Visayas with 41,024 families in evacuation centers, as of Monday morning.

Collapsed bridges, severe flooding and landslides have closed several sections of roads in the provinces of Biliran, Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar.

A section of a road in Leyte, which was closed for two days due to mudslides, was cleared Monday morning, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported.

In a report by the DPWH 2^nd Leyte engineering district, the highway, which is located along the historic Breakneck Ridge, suffered collapsed slope protection early on December 16 which rendered half of its the lane impassable.

However, another landslide which occurred later on the same day, after  “Urduja” brought incessant rains to the area, rendered the highway totally blocked to all types of vehicles.

Four of the region’s six provinces have been placed under state of calamity. At least 11 cities and towns also issued the same declaration. (LAAA/PNA)

'Urduja' leaves at least 27 dead in Biliran

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 17  -- Tropical Storm Urduja left at least 27 people while 24 others were reported missing due to landslides and flooding in several areas in Biliran province.

Initial reports on Sunday showed that 16 of the fatalities were from Caibiran, a municipality surrounded by rivers.

Lolita Rosel, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (MDRRM) officer, said the fatalities perished after landslide debris buried nine houses in Cabibihan village Saturday night.

Seven bodies were already recovered and identified during the retrieval operations, Rosel said in a telephone interview.

The fatalities were identified as Ronald Español, 27; his common-law-wife Jessebel Mandaue, 25; their children James Ron, 4; and Judy Ann, 2.

Also killed were their neighbors Mylene Bendicion, 33; Manuel Lambunao, 5; and Merlan Sancap, 37.

Retrieval operations are ongoing to recover the bodies of other victims.

“The local government unit will no longer allow about 30 families to return to their old homes located in a landslide-prone community,” Rosel told the Philippine News Agency.

Affected residents will temporarily stay in an evacuation center in Cabibihan village while waiting for their transfer to permanent shelter to be built by the National Housing Authority.

In Almeria town, four were killed when massive landslide buried houses in Iyusan village. The fatalities were Jimmy Jorge, 2; Winnie, 55; Wilma, 12; and Maribeth, 50, all surnamed Garbo.

In Naval town, MDRRM officer Raoul Villordon confirmed that six people died in a landslide and 21 others still missing in Locsoon village.

The town of Biliran also reported one death, three missing persons, and eight injured due to widespread flooding.

The massive floods brought about by the tropical storm destroyed bridges, isolating several towns.

The national highway from Biliran town to the provincial capital of Naval rendered impassable after the collapse of Caraycaray Bridge.

The Department of Public Works and Highways estimated the infrastructure damage at PHP200 million in Biliran after Urduja’s powerful winds and heavy rains ravaged one of the country’s smallest province.

The typhoon also destroyed two elementary schools in Naval town with an estimated damage of PHP30 million as reported by the Department of Education. (RTA/PNA)

N. Samar under state of calamity due to ‘Urduja’

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 16  -- The provincial government of Northern Samar has placed the entire province under a state of calamity Thursday night as heavy rains dumped by Tropical Storm Urduja flooded several villages.

Provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer Rei Josiah Echano said flooding has affected 131 villages and forced 10,669 individuals to flee.

“With the way the storm was traversing the place, it would take two to three days before evacuees would be allowed to return to their homes,” Echano said.

Severe flooding has been recorded in the towns of Catubig, Gamay, San Jose, Laoang, Lope de Vega, Las Navas, and Mondragon.

The local government also reported that 1,797 passengers have been stranded in the ports of Allen and San Isidro in Northern Samar as of Thursday night.

Earlier, the town of Catarman and Catubig also declared a state of calamity as the storm intensified and dumped more rains in Eastern Visayas.

The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 defines a state of calamity as “a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard.” (Roel T. Amazona/PNA)