CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Typhoon Santi (international name: Nari) has left two dead in the province as of press time, including a police officer who was buried in a mudslide in Magalang town, while three more casualties have been reported in the region.
A landslide in Barangay Ayala, Magalang town where a PNP Patrol Base is located claimed the life of PO1 Crisencio Omawing Bueno, a member of the 1st Maneuver Company of the Regional Public Safety Battalion 3.
Based on reports reaching police regional director Chief Supt. Raul D Petrasanta, Regional Director, PO1 Bueno and members of the 1st Manuever Company were securing the Patrol base’s equipment and belongings to a safer place when an avalanche of mud and water from Mt. Arayat hit the patrol base.
After two hours of continuous search by his comrades, PO1 Bueno’s body was retrieved and immediately rushed to the Balitucan Hospital in Magalang town where he was pronounced dead on arrival (DOA).
His remains now lie at Angelina Funeral Homes also in said town.
Another still unidentified individual was reported electrocuted in Candaba town, while three others killed by uprooted trees in Jaen in Nueva Ecija province, including a 70-year-old and a seven-year-old died from Bongabon, Nueva Ecija.
Floods, Brownouts
Typhoon “Santi” crossed Central Luzon Saturday morning, leaving a trail of destruction and flooding in most towns in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, and toppling trees and power lines in Pampanga and the rest of Central Luzon.
“Santi” has left some roads in Pampanga not passable, including the national roads in Tampo and Porac-Botolan due to fallen trees blocking the roads, as of 9:00 a.m. Saturday.
Electricity was cut in several towns, including Mexico, Sta. Ana, Masantol, Arayat, Minalin, Apalit, San Luis. Power was also cut off in Mabalacat City, Barangay San Pablo in Lubao, and 80 percent of Porac.
As repairs and power supply is restored in most areas, others may still wait for a couple of days, reports said.
In Pampanga, classes in all levels have been suspended Friday, as well as in Angeles City and the Metro Clark Area. Most of the power supply has been restored before lunch time. Currently, officials are looking at the total cost of the damage, particularly on the agriculture sector.
Officials said that it may take longer in some areas in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan to restore power due to the extent of the damage.
Other power outages affected the towns of Aglipay in Quirino, several towns in Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela, and Dingalan in Aurora.
Some 17 villages in Bulacan town were reported to be in four feet of floodwaters yesterday, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Some residents were evacuated due to bad weather conditions.
Bulacan governor Wilhelmino Alvarado said the town of San Miguel may declare a state of calamity due to the floods.
"We are focusing on San Miguel, many residents lost their roofs. San Miguel will be declaring a state of calamity," he said on government-run dzRB radio.
The Bustos provincial government said on its Facebook page the residents were brought to nearby evacuation centers.
While it did not specify how many families were evacuated, it called for donations of clothes and milk.
It also said donations may be coursed through the municipal Department of Social Welfare and Development office.
Floods hit Bulacan province amid heavy rain from Santi, which made landfall over Aurora before midnight Friday.
As of Saturday, Typhoon “Santi” has also placed at least 551 families or more than 2,000 individuals in evacuation centers in Northern and Central Luzon.
Typhoon Santi, which has weakened after crossing Central Luzon, stranded a total of 2,000 passengers in different ports, NDRRMC reported.
In its report, NDRRMC indicated that 24 vessels, 277 cargoes and 19 motorbancas remain stranded in ports of Manila, Southern Luzon and Bicol region.
Typhoon Santi is expected to be at 520 km outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
The state weather bureau Pagasa said that amount of rainfall dumped by Typhhon Santi was estimated to be from 5 to 15 miliimeters per hour. Officials said that around a million people were left without electricity yesterday. (With Sunnex)