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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
14 trapped in Itogon mine
BAGUIO CITY -- Typhoon Nina exited the country Tuesday leaving 14 miners trapped in a mine site in Itogon, Benguet and six people dead from the rest of Central and Southern Luzon.
The miners were trapped 700 feet below of the Antamok Gold Field in Barangay Loacan, Itogon as of this posting Tuesday.
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The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the temporary suspension of the rescue operations Tuesday due to the strong water current from the mine.
Those trapped were identified by the Office of the Civil Defense-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) as Gilbert Nattem of Banaue, Ifugao; Rudy Boling of Bangaan, Ifugao; Garry Ganu, Joel Bulga, Jeyson Himmayod, Rudy Himmayod, Jojo Himmayod, Juan Himmayod, Marvin Himmayod, Vincent Himmayod, all of Quirino Province; Joseph Anayasan, Mario Annayasan of Bauko, Mt. Province; Gerry Monyobda of Ifugao and Robert Buway of Itogon.
Rescue teams are having a difficult time extracting the trapped pocket miners because of the strong current where the makeshift mine is located and strong smell of poisonous gas.
The landslide at sitio Tuge and Vida in Barangay Loacan was said to have triggered the collapse of the wall along the diversion tunnel of the mine site, causing the buildup of water.
Teams from the Philex Mines and Benguet Corporation, as well as rescue groups from Baguio City also joined the rescue efforts. The SN Aboitiz Power, which runs the Binga Power Plant, also sent a team and equipment to the site for assistance.
The miners' identities were lifted from the logbook they signed when they entered the mine site Monday.
Entrance to the mine site is illegal and prohibited with it being an abandoned mine.
Environment Secretary Lito Atienza in a television interview said his office will also check on reports whether the miners' activities inside the abandoned mine site is sanctioned by the company.
Atienza said his office will also check if the miners are licensed.
The mining company should be responsible for its employees, Atienza said.
Typhoon Nina, the weather bureau said, will be about 780 kilometers (kms) West Northwest of Laoag City or 190 kms South Southwest of Hong Kong on Wednesday morning.
Even as Nina continues to head towards the general direction of Hong Kong, enhanced southwest monsoon will bring rains over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas.
Nina caused power outages in 13 cities/municipalities in Ilocos Norte and 15 municipalities in Cagayan, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported in its website.
The NDCC also said Nina sent 122 families to evacuation sites in Cagayan and claimed the lives of six people and injured 17 following landslides in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet, all in northern Luzon.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is in the United States, has mobilized all the agencies of the government to look after the welfare of the victims of Typhoon Nina.
The President directed all these agencies to support the efforts of local government units (LGUs) in the evacuation to safety of residents in the areas threatened by landslides and flooding.
Deputy Presidential Spokesman and NDCC deputy executive director Anthony Golez said the President ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to see to it that houses damaged by the howler are repaired immediately under the Emergency Shelter Assistance program.
He said the President also ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to clear roads of debris to ensure that vital assistance reaches the typhoon-affected areas.
Ferry services were also suspended as the typhoon pelted Central Philippines with heavy rains, rescuers said. (Jane Cadalig/Sun.Star Baguio/PNA/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (September 24, 2008 issue)
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