17 killed in Benguet, Baguio City landslides

MANILA - Parts of northern Luzon, still being battered by tropical depression "Pepeng" (international code name Parma), are under water as bodies of river continue to swell due to record amounts of rainfall while deadly landslides in mountainous areas have reportedly killed 17.

In Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija, 17 towns and 2 cities that are already mostly under water are fearing higher flood levels after the San Roque Dam released excess water from its reservoir Thursday.

The 17 towns affected are Umingan, Santa Barbara, Calasiao, Rosales, Bautista, Asingan, Tayug, Bayambang, San Jacinto, Natividad, Sison, Balungao, San Quintin, Villasis, San Fabian, Pozzorubio, and San Nicolas, all in Pangasinan.

The cities of Dagupan and Urdaneta are also flooded.

The local government units affected are on alert for a further rise in flood levels after the release of water from the dam.

Damage to agriculture and infrastructure are estimated to reach P260 million.

5 dams open spillways

Aside from San Roque and Pantabangan dams, Ambuklao, Binga, and Magat dams were also reported to be spilling water, as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) deputy administrator Nathaniel Cruz said the spilling of water from Pantabangan Dam would also affect the towns of Rizal, Bongabon, General Natividad, Palayan City, Cabanatuan City and Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija.

Residents in areas near the Magat dam in Isabela, including the towns of Ramon, San Mateo, Aurora, Cabanatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Burgos, Naguilian and Gamu were also earlier advised to evacuate.

Susan Espinueva, officer in charge of Hydrometeorological Division of PAGASA, said the increase in the outflow of Binga dam in Benguet necessitated the further increase in the outflow of San Roque dam in Pangasinan.

Baguio floods

Meanwhile, in Baguio City, the City Camp Lagoon has overflowed its banks due to non-stop rains since Wednesday evening.

Water levels have reached head-deep, and due to the presence of metal roofs protruding from flooded houses, a boat from Burnham Park was used to rescue evacuees instead of rubber boats.

In Benguet, 20 vehicles were buried in mud after a landslide in Barangay Kilometer in La Trinidad.

Residents said the strength of the flow of mud and water from the mountainsides swept the vehicles off the road, some even carried up to a creek.

17 killed in Benguet, Baguio City landslides

Benguet’s landslides however buried more than vehicles as 17 persons were killed in separate landslide incidents in different towns in Benguet province and Baguio City due to the heavy and continuous rains, according to separate reports.

"We have confirmed 7 casualties... 5 from Sto. Nino, 2 sa Caponga," said Vice Mayor Armando Lauro of Tublay town in Benguet in a report by ABS-CBN News Baguio.

Two brothers who were small-scale gold miners were killed in a landslide in Barangay Caponga in Tublay town in Benguet. The two were identified as 14-year-old Gilbert and his 16-year-old brother Hector Carpio.

The two reportedly went gold panning Thursday morning but did not come back, prompting a search for the two.

Gilbert was found at the top of a mountain while his brother was found near a road.

"Hindi namin inaasahan itong nangyari, sino ba naman ang gustong mangyari sa anak nila," moaned Berting Carpio, father of the fatalities.

Meanwhile, 5 persons were killed after a landslide hit their house in Garcia Village in Sitio Sto. Niño, Barangay Ambassador also in Tublay town.

The fatalities were identified as Deborah Boyayao, Milenya Supla, Shandell Boyayao, Rita Nalog, and Jerry Boyayao. Those injured were identified as Jane Changolan, Julius Garcia, Harry Angligen, and Nelson Bolawen.

Another report said Senior Superintendent Loreto Espineli, Benguet police director, said a landslide also occurred in Mankayan town which killed 3.

The fatalities were identified as Jolina Mae Astudillo, John Kennedy Fagsao, Danny Cuyopan, and Antolen Kinmayong. The landslide reportedly buried their house at Upper Guiwe in Barangay Tabio early Thursday.

Espinelli also said that another landslide in Buguias town killed 2, Miller Masuka and Jacinto Manno, while injured in the incident was Juna Mariano.

The provincial police director pointed to incessant rains of 'Pepeng' as the one to blame for the landslides.

"Di naman kasi umalis si 'Pepeng,' nine days nang umuulan," he said.

An employee of the Benguet Provincial Engineering Office identified as Danny Cuyupan also perished when he was buried in mud while helping clear roads in La Trinidad town also in Benguet, according to The Philippine Star.

4 killed in Baguio City

Four persons were reported to have died after a landslide in Baguio City buried their house Thursday evening, an initial report said.

The initial report said the 4 were killed after a landslide hit houses in Cresencia Village in Bokawkan road in Baguio City 8 p.m. 5 others were injured and were taken to Baguio General Hospital for treatment.

A portion of the road reportedly eroded due to the heavy and continuous rains brought by Tropical Depression "Pepeng" and the loosened soil crashed into the houses below.

Many of those buried by the landslide were reportedly watching television when the tragedy occurred.

A search and rescue operation was ongoing, as of posting, for others who may be trapped in houses hit by the landslide.

6 buried by landslide in Palawan

Batangas police on Thursday said 6 health workers reported trapped inside the municipal health office of Taytay town, Palawan after a landslide Wednesday have been found dead.

Senior Superintendent Aurelio Trampe, Palawan provincial police director, identified the fatalities as Elmie Doria, Nympha Porras, Josephine Genanda and Criselda Sangcacal, Marjorie Dacillo and Chemelyn Gamarcha.

Police said continuous rains triggered the landslide.

Areas isolated

The heavy rains brought by Pepeng rendered roads in the provinces of northern Luzon impassable due to landslides and mudflows.

The Cagayan Valley became isolated as all roads leading to the region were hit by landslides.

A bridge leading to Carrangian town in Nueva Vizcaya was washed away while a portion of the national highway leading to the entire region of Cagayan went underwater, rendering it impassable to all types of vehicles.

Landslides and mudflows also blocked the Nueva Vizcaya-Benguet highway leading to Baguio City.

Meanwhile, several towns in Benguet province were reported to have been isolated after a road in Tublay was blocked due to a landslide. Kilometer 16 in Tublay was hit by a landslide due to the heavy and continuous rains.

Halsema Highway and Kennon Road have also been closed due to possible landslides, leaving motorists the option of just taking Marcos Highway and Naguilian Road when going to and from Baguio City.

Isolated Apayao towns

Apayao Gov. Elias Bulot Sr. meanwhile said 3 town were isolated due to landslides which blocked the roads with rocks and soil. He identified the isolated Apayao towns as Calanasan, Conner and capital town Kabugao. He said the delivery of supplies to the province have been hampered as a result.

Bulot also complained that the province was not receiving assistance from the national government.

He said the agricultural and infrastructure damage brought by “Pepeng” to the province has reached almost P1 billion.

He said the provincial government has insufficient calamity funds to address the immediate effects and sought for the national government’s aid.

‘Pepeng’ moving west

"Pepeng" which entered the Philippine area of responsibility Sept. 30 still continues to traverse Northern Luzon. It first made landfall in Cagayan Oct. 3 and hit the Northern tip of Luzon and hovered over the South China Sea. Last Tuesday Oct. 6, it made landfall again in Ilocos Norte and moved southeast to Isabela province.

As of 10 p.m. Thursday it was located in the vicinity of Mountain Province and forecast to move west slightly.

By Friday evening it is expected to 70 kilometers south southwest of Vigan City in Ilocos Sur or 80 kilometers northwest of Baguio City; by Saturday evening, 210 km west southwest of Vigan City or 220 km west northwest of Baguio City and by Sunday evening, 430 km west southwest of Vigan or 440 km west northwest of Baguio City.

From a typhoon, “Pepeng” has been downgraded first into a tropical storm and later into a tropical depression. The Thursday 11 p.m. bulletin of PAGASA said it still has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.

Storm Signal No. 1 has been raised over Northern and Central Luzon - Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, Calayan Islands, , Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Viscaya, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan and Bulacan

Twenty-three people were killed and seven were left missing when “Pepeng” hit the north over the weekend. With reports from Geselle Capua, ABS-CBN North Central Luzon; Butch Mendizabal and Jermaine Beltran, ABS-CBN North Luzon; Gracie Rutao, ABS-CBN Pampanga; Arnell Ozaeta, ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog; Noel Alamar, radio dzMM, Agence France-Presse and The Philippine Star