'Pablo' death toll rises to 2

MANILA (2nd Update, 3:13 p.m.) – Typhoon "Pablo" (international name: Bopha) claimed the life of at least two persons and continues to affect over 57,000 people in the Visayas and Mindanao, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

NDRRMC Executive Director Benito Ramos identified the first fatality as Erlinda Balante, 60, resident of Manay town, Davao Oriental, who was killed due to a falling tree.

The second fatality, Jigger Gumunit, 30, was also killed due to a falling tree while on board a motorcycle in Misamis Oriental, Ramos said.

"Pablo" made landfall over Baranga, Davao Oriental, on Tuesday morning and now on its way out of Cagayan de Oro City, where hundreds of people were killed in flashfloods brought by Tropical Storm "Sendong" nearly a year ago.

The NDRRMC said the typhoon has so far affected a total of 11,871 families or 57,501 persons in Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao region, and Caraga region.

Of this figure, about 11,059 families or 53,441 people have evacuated from their homes.

The NDRRMC added that power blackouts are being experienced in the towns of Tandag, Bislig, Hinatuan, Tagbina, Barobo, Lianga, and Lingig in Surigao Del Sur; Carmen, Agusan Del Norte; and in Pilar, Surigao Del Norte.

The agency earlier reported that power outages are also affecting areas in Cagayan de Oro, Valencia, and Malaybalay. Flooding is also being experienced in Panamukan town in the said province and in Sinoda, Quezon, Bukidnon.

Erratic communication is also being experienced in Pilar, Surigao Del Norte due to damaged cell sites, the agency added.

In Agusan del Sur, the Pulang Lupa – Sta. Josefa Road in Barangay Sta. Isabel, Sta. Josefa town is hardly passable due to flooding caused by heavy rains.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard said in its latest report that 2960 passengers are stranded in various ports all over the country along with 267 rolling cargoes, 132 vessels, and 61 motorbancas.

As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, "Pablo" has slightly weakened to 160 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness up to 195 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). The typhoon is moving west at 20 kph.

The eye of the typhoon was located at 70 kilometers south of Tagbilaran City or 90 km southeast of Dumaguete City at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Pagasa said.

Placed under signal number three are Bohol, Siquijor, Southern Cebu, Southern Negros Oriental, Southern Negros Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, and Camiguin.

Northern Palawan including the Calamian Group of Islands and Cuyo Island, Southern Leyte, Antique, Iloilo, rest of Cebu including Camotes Island, rest of Negros Oriental and rest of Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte including Siargao, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte including Samal Island, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay and Maguindanao comprise the areas under signal number two.

Signal number one, meanwhile, is hoisted over the rest of Palawan, Aklan, Capiz, Leyte, Biliran, Davao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Sarangani and South Cotabato. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)