TROPICAL Depression Queenie left Cebu on Thursday with a mother’s death, and Bohol with a ship engineer’s.
Also, a fisherman was reported missing, hundreds of families were evacuated, and an undetermined value of property was damaged.
Queenie packed winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and heavy rains between late Wednesday and noon of Thursday. It hit southern Cebu the most, and many other parts of Cebu and Bohol.
Classes in public and private schools that were suspended on Thursday resume today, November 28.
Queenie has left Cebu, the rest of Central Visayas and Leyte. Even then, strong winds will still fan Cebu on Saturday and Sunday, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Visayas Director Oscar Tabada said.
In other areas such as Iloilo, Guimaras Island, Antique, Negros Occidental and Palawan, signal number one remains hoisted.
Coast Guard Station Cebu has allowed vessels to sail again to Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Siquijor and Negros Oriental, Commander Rodolfo Villajuan said.
In Cebu City, except for busted electric transformers, flooded streets and a fallen tree, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CCDRRMC) recorded no major incidents.
The council activated the city’s barangay-based disaster brigades.
Power has been restored by the Visayan Electric Company (Veco).
Malabuyoc
In Poblacion 1, Malabuyoc, 50-year-old Alona Baldado died when she was swept away by floods. Baldado was inside her house, located near a bridge, when flood currents swept her downstream along with her two children.
She was able to save her kids, one of whom climbed a coconut tree. Poblacion I barangay captain Manolito Quinañola and his barangay tanods recovered Baldado’s body.
Baldado’s house was one of three that were swept by the strong currents of the Saliring river due to heavy rains between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Across Saliring river is Barangay Sto. Nino, where 40 houses were also flooded.
Man overboard
In Bohol, a Cebuano crew member of a cargo vessel died when strong winds knocked him down and he fell into the sea. Strong waves were also rocking M/V Edward Lawrence.
According to a dyLA report, the body of Cesario dela Serna, chief engineer of M/V Edward Lawrence, was found off the shore of Barangay Looc in Jagna town, where the vessel took shelter amid the heavy rains.
Dela Serna, 59, was from Liloan, Cebu.
Damage in towns
Eight towns in southern Cebu reported damage to bridges, dikes, water system and other infrastructure to the Capitol while 120 houses were damaged and some 160 families were evacuated to sports complexes and barangay halls.
Some areas also had no power.
Governor Hilario Davide III “is disappointed because we targeted zero casualty but there is still one despite the weak typhoon,” Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) Chief Baltazar Tribunalo said.
PDRRMO called all municipal disaster risk reduction officers and municipal planning officers from southern Cebu to an orientation on disaster management last Monday.
He said they “didn’t seem interested.”
Boljoon
In Boljoon, 12 houses were flooded and nine were destroyed in Sitio Fuente, Barangay Poblacion.
“Everything was swept away, nothing is left,” said Raynold Tan, 50, whose house, which is made made of light materials, was wiped out by the flood.
Tan works in the Capitol as a machine operator and has two kids studying in Cebu City, where they were all staying when the flood happened.
He rushed home Thursday morning to find that there was nothing left of his house. His mother is safe and unharmed.
Fisherman missing
As of 2 p.m. Thursday, the PDRRMO search and rescue team has not found Celesiano Looc, 45, a fisherman from Barangay Caceres in Oslob town. He went missing during the flood.
In Argao, 100 individuals from Barangay Jomgao sought temporary shelter in the Cerge Remonde Sports and Cultural Center.
Tourism officer Joy Sarmago said they evacuated when floodwaters rose.
Two barangay footbridges were destroyed.
The center also became temporary shelters for evacuees from Barangays Canbanua, Langtad and Poblacion.
The flood also cracked the Argao dike on the Langtad side.
The Langtad bride was also evaluated by the PDRRMO as unstable.
Heavy rains also caused landslides in Barangays Bala-as, Linut-od and Calagasan, which blocked some of the roads.
The vegetable highway in Barangay Butong was also blocked by a fallen tree.
Dalaguete
In Dalaguete, an elderly woman and two children were injured from a fallen roof, stated the PDRRMO report. The victims were not identified.
In Barangay Coro, 30 Bantay Dagat fishing vessels were damaged, including one that is worth P2.5 million.
Around 72 families are staying in the town’s sports complex.
The Salong-on bridge in the town is also unstable, said Capitol Public Information Officer Ethel Natera.
‘Culture of confidence’
Tribunalo said that the barangay leaders from the different towns told him that they did not expect such devastation because it was the first time they experienced such flooding.
He said PDRRMO is not remiss in its duties warning local officials of the coming storm days before its arrival but community leaders tend to have a “culture of confidence.”
Tribunalo said that Davide suspended classes last Wednesday and Thursday to secure the children.
“Walay gihimo ang kapitan, walay gihimo ang simbahan, walay gihimo ang lungsod, ang Kapitolyo kuwang pa. Dugay kaayo momata ang katawhan (The barangay captain didn’t do anything, the Church didn’t do anything, the town didn’t do anything and the Capitol couldn’t do everything. The people should wake up),” Tribunalo said.
Capitol will send food packs to the victims today, Friday.
PDRRMO personnel were deployed in affected areas to assess the needs of the people. They brought with them tents for temporary shelter.
“Nganong paspas ta sa pagtabang, dili kita paspas sa prevention and mitigation (Why are we so quick to help but are not quick enough on prevention and mitigation)?” Tribunalo asked. (OCP/With reports from RVC/EOB/Sun.Star Cebu)