More bodies recovered; others rescued in N. Vizcaya landslide

FILE: Floodwaters from the raging San Juan River almost reach the roofs of the houses along the creek on Gumamela Street, Barangay Roxas, Quezon City on Thursday (Nov. 12, 2020). (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)

MANILA – The number of cadavers retrieved from the landslide areas in Nueva Vizcaya has climbed further to 10, according to its Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (BDRRMO) on Saturday.

Three bodies are found in Sitio Bit-Ang, Runruno identified as Cresencia Nah-oy, of Asaklat, Nagtipunan, Quirino, with Dexter Kurt Nah-oy, 2-months old; and Ben Junior Bulayo, of Tukod, Cabarroguis, Quirino.

The other eight recovered bodies are identified as Julie Ann Tanesa, Francisco Taguiling Napadawan, Jomar Cumihang Ohdon, Noel Tayaban Buyaco, and Mark Conie Mangandat Binwag.

Meanwhile, the search, rescue, and retrieval team (SRR) of Alpha Company of the 86th Infantry Battalion (IB) has retrieved two unidentified bodies in Barangay Runruno, Quirino.

According to the SRR, the bodies were buried in debris when they were recovered.

The two rescued persons, Jaymar Tanesa and Lily Tanesa, were immediately brought to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.

Landslide in Baggao town

The SSR team also retrieved another four residents buried in a separate landslide in Sitio Tueg, Bitag Grande, Baggao, Cagayan Province on Nov. 13.

The casualties were identified as Frank Jay Pagulayan, 19; King Jim Bragasin, 18; Ian Philip Pagulayan, 17; and Virginia Bautista, 60.

An initial report said the victims were inside their house when the landslide occurred due to the heavy rainfall triggered by Typhoon Ulysses.

The Banggao Municipal Police Station (MPS) deployed police personnel to conduct an “Oplan Tambuli”—to evacuate residents living in low-lying and landslide-prone areas in Baggao Municipality, before the onslaught of “Ulysses.”

However, some residents refused to evacuate and opted to stay in their houses.

At 5 p.m on Nov. 13, most areas in Baggao municipality were flooded as “Ulysses” made its landfall over Cagayan province.

Residents experienced heavy rains, flash floods, rockslides, and landslides in the province. The communication signal was also cut.

Currently, the 501 Infantry Brigade is conducting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) along with the local PNP personnel and the Bangao Municipal DRRMC to rescue more residents in the landslide affected areas.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is conducting search and rescue operations for victims of “Ulysses” in the most devastated provinces in Region 2.

During the Laging Handa press briefing on Saturday, NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said a total of 33 casualties in Region 2 have been recorded so far, due to the onslaught of “Ulysses”.

Timbal said 16 of the casualties are from Region 2, six from the Calarbarzon, five in Region 5, and six from the Cordillera region.

While 22 persons are injured and 20 are still missing, he added.

Timbal reported that about 15 municipalities in Nueva Viscaya are currently flooded.

He said there are about 343,000 affected individuals recorded in Region 2.

Some 13,954 of it are currently staying at the evacuation centers, while some 30,798 are staying with their relatives in other areas that are not affected by the floods.

The NDRRMC deployed rescue teams composed of 3,776 personnel from Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire, and Philippine Coast Guard to support the local government units in the disaster response operations in Region 2.

Meanwhile, Nueva Vizcaya Governor Carlos Padilla lauded the rescue and retrieval operation teams for their efforts to help the typhoon victims.

“Bukod sa panalangin para sa lahat ng mga pumanaw nating kababayan, ating hinihiling sa lahat na sana ay maglaan ang bawat isa ng panahon upang pasalamatan ang mga tunay na bayani sa mga kinaharap nating unos sa nakalipas na mga araw (Apart from offering prayers for our departed fellow citizens, we also request everyone to thank the real heroes who saved us from the disaster in the past days),” Padilla said in a social media post.

“Maraming salamat sa lahat ng kumilos, nagbantay at nanigurong ligtas ang ating mga kababayan mula sa mga panganib na dala ni bagyong Ulysses (We thanked those who worked, guarded, and ensured the safety of our countrymen against the dangers posed by Typhoon Ulysses),” Padilla added.