7 dead as huge waves hit South

ZAMBOANGA — At least seven people are dead or missing and more than 1,200 houses were destroyed after coastal communities across the Philippines were hit by giant waves and landslides, rescuers said yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned the public yesterday to brace for possible landslides and flash floods caused by heavy rains.

The good news, however, is that Pagasa also said no typhoons are expected to enter the country in the next few days.

Pagasa Weather Services chief Nathaniel Cruz said the southwest monsoon might bring heavy rains and trigger landslides and flash floods, especially in Visayas and Mindanao.

Cruz said typhoon "Juan" left the Philippine area of responsibility the other day and moved toward eastern China, and so far the weather bureau has not spotted any low-pressure areas about to enter the country.

Juan was the second typhoon to enter the country this month, following tropical storm "Inday," which triggered a landslide in Olongapo City that killed two people and flash floods in Pangasinan that killed six others.

Pagasa said a total of 10 typhoons have entered the country this year.

The area worst hit by giant waves and landslides was the tiny island of Sarangani, where a family of five were feared dead after a landslide buried their house at dawn on Tuesday.

Police were digging through the mud searching for Ted Bawa, 50; Cosita Bawa, 50; Essay Bawa, five; Banes Bawa, one; and six-month-old Gaga Bawa. They were still missing after two days, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.

Big waves had struck the Tawi-Tawi islands as well as Cebu over the past 10 days, rescuers said.

The waves swept away about a thousand houses on stilts along the Tawi-Tawi capital of Bongao late Wednesday, leaving at least 3,000 people homeless, Mayor Albert Que said.

"We cannot determine yet as to how many are missing, but about 1,000 houses were destroyed by strong winds and big waves," he told reporters here.

While the homeless have been temporarily sheltered at different evacuation centers, Que said they are now searching for the missing residents.

"Many fear that those who were missing might have been dead. But we hope we can find them alive," he said.

Que blamed tropical storm Inday, although it passed well north of the Philippine archipelago earlier this week and has since dissipated as a tropical depression over southern China.

He said the strong winds brought by Inday beat up the coastal villages of Lamion, Surikana, Kasanyangan and Tumandagit — areas inhabited by Badjao tribes.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said a certain Juan Abakahan drowned and 210 houses were washed away when big waves hit Barangays Dumlog and Tangke at Talisay City in Cebu early Wednesday.

OCD administrator Glenn Rabonza said big waves forced the evacuation of 142 families from four villages of Balingasag town in Misamis Oriental.

The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council has been doing relief operations for the past weeks since 12 barangays in Balingasag were affected by flash floods.

At least three persons were reported killed and 500 people displaced during the flash flood that affected Balingasag and Lagonglong towns. A 28-meter stretch of farm-to-market road in Barangay Cogon, Balingasag was destroyed by the huge waves.

Forty-year-old Lilibeth Roa and her two-year-old daughter Paulshein died on the spot after a coconut tree fell on them while they were on their way home in Purok 3 Poblacion in Libertad town, Misamis Oriental. Nearby residents tried to revive the victims but failed due to the heavy injuries the Roas sustained in different parts of their bodies.

Strong winds brought down the tree, which also cut power lines. The power supply was restored three hours after the incident.

Early this month, big waves induced by continuous rainfall displaced 20 families from the nearby coastal town of Jasaan.

Over in Maguindanao, a flash flood accompanied by strong winds destroyed ricefields in several barangays in Rajah Buayan. In nearby Parang town, 36 houses were totally destroyed by a twister that hit the offshore barangay of Litayan Monday.

Early yesterday morning, monsoon-induced waves struck Barangay Daliao at Toril District in Davao City, damaging 13 houses and displacing 15 families.

‘Beef up disaster programs’

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno urged mayors, governors and other local government officials to come up with measures to strengthen disaster preparedness programs in their respective localities.

Puno said preparedness in disasters and calamities will save lives and property. He made the call after acknowledging nine local government units (LGUs) — led by South Cotabato, Camiguin and

Makati City — that demonstrated comprehensive disaster preparedness programs.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) launched "Gawad Kalasag: Search for Excellence in Disaster Management" to encourage LGUs to show their capability and preparedness in handling disaster and calamities in their areas.

Puno, who chairs the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) national selection committee, identified this year’s most outstanding local disaster coordinating councils as those of Camiguin and South Cotabatao (provincial category); Makati (highly urbanized city),

Bago (component city); Labo, Camarines Norte (first and second-class municipality); Dumangas, Iloilo (third and fourth-class municipality); San Enrique, Negros Occidental (fifth and sixth-class municipality); Pis-anan, Sibalom, Antique (rural barangay); and Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City (urban barangay).

"Undoubtedly, the winning LGUs demonstrated that disaster management can be done effectively and efficiently with the determination, resolve and commitment of local officials and the support and cooperation of the people who are the very stakeholders in this endeavor," he said.

The winning LGUs were given plaques in modest rites held at the AFP Commissioners Country, Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City recently.

Puno said the winning LGUs and their local disaster coordinating councils showed excellence in disaster management, as well as in harnessing the private sector, volunteer groups, and emergency responders and individuals in the implementation of programs and projects relative to all aspects of disaster risk management.

He also prodded provinces, cities, municipalities and barangay nationwide to firm up and strengthen their respective local disaster coordinating councils so they can effectively respond to emergency and disaster situations in their areas, especially now when the country is besieged by various natural hazards such as volcanic eruption, typhoons, flash floods and mudslides.

Gawad Kalasag was institutionalized in 2002 to confer awards on the most outstanding local disaster coordinating councils nationwide, as well as recognize their excellence in total disaster risk management and humanitarian assistance.

The DILG is the lead agency for the search for excellence in disaster management. Other member-agencies of the NDCC’s national selection committee are the OCD, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government leagues, Department of Health, Philippine National Red Cross and the Department of Education. — Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude, Richel Umel, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Mike Baños, AFP