Saturday, September 23, 2006
8 killed, 13 hurt in landslide
EIGHT jeepney passengers were killed and 13 others were injured in a landslide in Mountain Province last Thursday.
Vicente Tomazar, regional director of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), identified the fatalities as Arnold Atangen, 36; Amy Lumines, 28; Lailani Liwanen, 28; Nardo Orobiano, 36; Victorino Gayuchan, 65; Virgilio Tao-ey, 40; Brandy Chumawin, 22; and Bong Baguilat, 36. They were all of Natonin town in the province.
Those hurt were Placido Chumawin, Cecilio Ewangan, Johnny Mabanag, Rodolfo Liwanen, Ricardo Pilay, Ronel Foy-awen, Camara Dangilan Calixto, Alex Poleg, Abner Chumawin, George Sipoten, Bocida Pilay, Ambrocio Simeon and Tony Porag.
A report said a passenger jeepney bearing license plate AYC-843, bound for Natonin, Mountain Province, was traversing Sitio Manangor, Tonglayan in the town when passengers noticed a boulder blocking their way.
Male passengers alighted to remove the boulder, but while they were clearing the road, the loose soil above them gave way and buried them as well as the passengers left inside the vehicle.
Tomazar said the presence of small landslides in the area due to continuous rains as well as difficulty of communication at the site hampered responding rescue groups from the Natonin Police Station, the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council (MDCC) and civilian volunteers from immediately reaching the victims. Those injured were rushed to the Natonin Municipal Hospital and then transferred to the Bontoc General Hospital for treatment.
The Provincial Government, meanwhile, extended P1,000 and a sack of rice to each of the fatalities' families. The health and social welfare departments also gave out relief goods and other assistance to the victims. (Sun.Star Baguio Reportorial Team)
(September 23, 2006 issue)
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