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Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Bad weather hampers rescue operations
* Death toll at 161
* Arroyo may visit southern Leyte Tuesday
* Pope sends condolence; Manila Archbishop Rosales saddened by tragedy, calls for stop to illegal logging
NATIONAL Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) officials said search and retrieval operations Monday for the bodies of those who perished in landslides in Southern Leyte are being hampered by torrential rains.
This, as President Arroyo said she may visit the landslide-struck Southern Leyte.
Pope John Paul II, on the other hand, has sent his condolence to the Philippines following the tragedy.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, for his part, said he is saddened by the incident as he called for a stop to illegal logging, which has been blamed for the landslides that occurred in Southern Leyte.
Clearing operations are also being affected by the weather, causing difficulty in the delivery of relief supplies.
"The death toll can rise," NDCC chief Eduardo Ermita said. The death toll as of 3 p.m. Monday stood at 161, based on NDCC records.
NDCC said soldiers and civilian volunteers were taking part in the search and rescue operations in Southern Leyte as he revealed that bad weather has prevented rescue helicopters from flying to the disaster area.
"It's been three days and our helicopters couldn't fly," Ermita added.
But a Navy vessel and an Air Force C-130 cargo plane have reached Maasin, Southern Leyte, one of the three municipalities hit by the landslides, after battling bad weather, the NDCC said.
President Arroyo may go to Southern Leyte Tuesday, depending on the weather condition in the area. She wanted to fly to Southern Leyte last Sunday yet but bad weather prevented her from going there.
NDCC officials said there are 31 evacuation centers receiving relief goods supplies.
Earlier Sunday, Ermita said the US Government offered to help the landslide victims.
Ermita said Washington informed him that they are prepared to send Chinook search and rescue helicopters, food and a medical team to assist the victims.
Ermita also said aside from lending Chinook helicopters for rescue operations, US Ambassador Francis Ricciardonne also assured the US would donate relief goods.
Relief assistance from the public will also be appreciated, Ermita added.
Ermita said donors can send goods to the NDCC headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo or to Maasin where the Southern Leyte Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) is located.
As of Monday morning, 125 persons were reported missing in Eastern Visayas, Bohol, Caraga regions and Compostella Valley in the aftermath of landslides and flash floods in those areas over the weekend, the NDCC said.
A total of 89 persons were declared dead from the disasters.
In Eastern Visayas, 117 persons remained missing while four others were missing in Bohol.
In Compostela Valley and Caraga Region, four persons are missing.
The flash floods left 23 persons injured.
Government officials have blamed the Leyte disaster on illegal logging, which denuded the mountains near where many of the victims lived.
Pope's message
Meanwhile, the Pope said he is "deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life resulting form the recent landslides in the Philippines."
His message was sent through Archbishop Antonio Franco, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.
In his message, the Holy Father said he would pray for the grieving families to be given "divine strength and comfort" to accept the dreadful incident that killed over a hundred people.
The Pontiff also lauded the rescuers involved in the search operations as he encouraged them to persevere in their efforts to bring relief and support.
Rosales, on the other hand, condemned the rampant illegal logging in the country and appealed to authorities to act on the matter and make sure that the incident will never happen again.
"We are not only praying but we are very sorry for this ecological incident," Rosales said. Miko Santos/Marie Neri
(December 23, 2003 issue)
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