13 dead, 8 missing

CEBU, Philippines - Though tropical storm Seniang slightly weakened when it passed by Cebu yesterday, it left 13 people dead, eight others missing, and two children injured in the provinces of Cebu and Bohol.

That is aside from damage to infrastructure, especially the collapse and flooding of bridges that rendered them impassable.

Allen Froilan Cabaron of the Office of the Civil Defense-7 Admin Support Division said Seniang caused damage to a wider area in Central Visayas than super typhoon Ruby, which hit the country recently.

He said people might have been complacent because Seniang hit during the Christmas season, when most people were enjoying their vacation.

Police Regional Office-7 Regional Plans and Operations Chief Erson Digal said reports from the different police stations in the region showed that 13 people died from Seniang.

He identified them as Ronda, Cebu residents Annabelle Yap, 60, and  Paul Emerson Lim, 17 from Barangay Poblacion; Pewpew Casera, 35, from Barangay Ilaya; Joan Bahinting, 8, from Barangay Tupas; and Bienvenido Batomalaque, 58, Prudencia Ypanto, 89, Ranzes Tampos, 5, and Aaron Camillo, 7, from Barangay Liboo.

Six members of the Bahinting family were also reported missing, identified as Evelyn, 39; Junjun, 35; Juvelyn, 10; Jean, 5; Joyce, 3; and Ace Faunillan, almost two months old.  The six victims were reportedly swept away by raging waters together with their house, which was located at the bank of a river in Ronda.

In San Francisco town in Camotes Island, Cebu, 30-year-old Joel Ostria, who went fishing past 11 a.m. on Monday, went missing and was later found dead floating near Bokok Wharf in Barangay Poblacion.

In Bohol, Archie Cambanay, 16, and Arjay Brendes, 15, died after being electrocuted in Loon town; Paula Opay, 60, of Baclayon town, died of drowning; and Carlo Dapito of Alicia town died after being pinned under a coconut tree that fell at the height of the typhoon.

Those missing were Leoning Caday, 50, of Ronda town, and Macaria Revilla, 66, of Sibonga town.  Caday’s children Maribel, 14, and Girly, 11, were initially reported missing after being swept away by raging waters but they were later found alive.

Alberto Devis, chief tanod of Barangay Ilaya, said Casera was sleeping while watching over the pigs of his employer when floodwater suddenly came and carried him away.

Devis said they found Casera lifeless a hundred meter from the piggery around 7 a.m. yesterday.

In all, eight were confirmed dead while seven were still missing as of press time in Ronda, Cebu after a night of heavy rainfall and flashfloods brought about by Seniang.

Ronda Mayor Mariano Blanco said he directed his town’s barangay captains Monday afternoon to remind all residents to be more vigilant against severe flooding, which was more risky due to the heavy rainfall.

He said that while there were those who followed their request to evacuate, there were still a number of families who opted to stay in their homes.

Blanco said these residents were too complacent, perhaps thinking that Seniang would cause minimal destruction compared to past typhoons.

“Hinay ra man kuno ang hangin. For the past typhoons lately, nag-evacuate sila but wa man daw maigo karon nagsalig ra unya kita man gyud ang naigo,” he said.

The mayor said rainwater from the mountains traversed to the main road, adding to the already swollen Talaba River, causing severe flooding.

He said town experienced flashfloods 20 to 30 years ago yet.

In Barangay Tolotolo, Consolacion town, a landslide last Monday buried and injured Reynaldo Villamor, 12, and John Wayne Sumayag, 7. 

The two boys were rushed to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for treatment. Through his chief of staff Jessie Perez, sixth district Representative Luigi Quisumbing assured help for Villamor and Sumayag.

In the Ronda incident, 59-year-old Perla Faunillan, Evelyn Bahinting’s mother, said she warned her daughter and her family last Monday to follow them and evacuate, in heed of the mayor’s advice, since Evelyn’s house was situated very near the river.

Perla, too, admitted that they were complacent on the possible risk the typhoon would pose to their families.

Aside from lost lives, Seniang also severely affected livestock, agriculture, and major infrastructure in Cebu. Landslide and massive flooding likewise rendered roads and bridges impassable.

In Alegria town, the provincial road in Barangay Compostela was blocked due to a landslide, while minor landslides also occurred in the upland barangays of  Valencia, Guadalupe, Lepanto, and Montpeller.

Cabaron said massive damage in the region was brought about by the intense amount of rainfall, which was compounded by Seniang moving at a very slow pace of 11 kilometer per hour.

He said that in Cebu, Sariling Bridge located at kilometer 163 was not passable due to the swollen river, while Dumlog Bridge in Simala, Sibonga town was destroyed, rendering the structure impassable.

Former Simala barangay councilman Titing Lopez, who lives near the bridge, said the riprap gave way due to the force of the water, which started to rise around 1 a.m. yesterday.  Southbound passengers and motorists are advised to pass Barangay Bagacay and exit in Barangay Simala and vice versa as an alternative route.

First district Representative Samsam Gullas, though, yesterday said he already talked to Department of Public Works and Highways-7 Director Ador Canlas regarding the broken Dumlog Bridge and was assured that a temporary resolution to the problem would be immediately resorted to.

Gullas, however, said that the long-term and permanent solution is to really fix the bridge, which means funding should be looked for.

In Talisay City, landslides were reported Barangays Lanas, Balirong, Lutac, Pangdan and Uling, but no casualty was reported.

In Cebu City, landslides also happened in Sitio Tawagan, Barangay Sirao; Sitio Dita, Barangay Pulambato; Barangay Busay; and Barangay Sinsin.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chief David Tumulak said there were no reported injuries because of the landslides.

He also said that trees got uprooted in Barangays Poblacion Pardo, Quiot, Inayawan, Labangon, and Capitol Site.

Meanwhile, with fairer weather yesterday after Seniang left Cebu, sea-crafts were allowed to sail yesterday, or two days after the Philippine Coast Guard barred all sea-going vessels from leaving port. — Bryner L. Diaz, Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento, Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Jessa J. Agua, Liv G. Campo, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, Garry B. Lao/RHM (FREEMAN)