‘Maring’ leaves 6 dead 1 missing in Benguet

October 16, 2021 Headlines

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet(PIA) – The province of Benguet suffered heavily from Severe Tropical Storm Maring earlier in the week resulting to at least eight casualties and destruction of infrastructures and agricultural crops.
Governor Melchor Diclas said Maring left at least six dead, one injured and one still missing, all victims of landslides in at least three municipalities last October 11.
In the municipality of La Trinidad, three siblings aged 8, 6 and 2, died when their house was buried in a landslide at Ubbog Central in Barangay Ambiong. The Teligo family just had dinner when the house suddenly collapsed due to landslide.The parents survived the incident.
In Itogon, two deaths and one injured were recorded. Colasa Tigwey, 80 years old, from Simpa, Ampucao and Cherrie Dillam Leo 32, perished in two separate landslide incidents. Cherrie’s husband, Raygan, 35, also suffered minor injuries in a landslide in Naiba, Tuding that hit their house.
The local government of Kibungan reported that search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) operations is still ongoing for a missing person in Todag, Barangay Tacadang in Kibungan. Reports indicated that June Perez Balangen, 20, and his brother Romy, 25, were going home at around 5PM on Oct. 11 when the rice field they were passing through suddenly eroded and both were drawn by the landslide to a nearby river.
The body of June was already retrieved but SRR for Romy is still on going. Initial assistance to the victims and their families have been provided by the provincial government, concerned local government units and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Meanwhile, based on the Benguet Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office report as of October 13 at 6PM, Maring has affected at least 304 families or 1,211 individuals in the province.
The heavy rains caused at least 94 partially damaged houses and 22 totally damaged houses. There were also nine identified evacuation centers which were opened where 22 families or 74 individuals were evacuated while more than 155 families or 658 individuals were evacuated to their neighbors, churches and relatives during the height of the weather disturbance.
On road conditions, major national roads and provincial roads were closed to traffic due to landslides and rock slides. Most of these roads are already open to traffic while some are still being cleared by the equipment and personnel of the provincial government, municipal government units, DPWH and private companies.
Among the roads that were closed and have been opened include the Marcos Highway, Baguio-Bauang Road, Halsema Highway, Asin Nangalisan-San Pascual, Pico-Lamtang Road, Longlong Lamtang Road, Tawang-Ambiong Road, Benguet – Nueva Vizcaya Road, Gov. Dangwa National Road, and the Cong. Andres Acop Cosalan Road.
A portion of the Halsema particularly at KM3 in Pico, La Trinidad was flooded and filled with debris and was closed to traffic causing heavy traffic on Monday night.
In Bakun, the rural health unit and the barangay hall buildings in Poblacion, Bakun were totally damaged in a soil collapse due to the heavy downpour in the municipality. The PDRRMO is still waiting for the official report of the LGU. Diclas said that they are still waiting for the collated reports on the damages on agriculture and other structures from the LGUs for them to look into what immediate assistance and interventions the provincial government could provide.
(JDP/RMC- PIA CAR)