Storm surge destroys 55 houses in Zamboanga coastal villages

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - At least 55 houses were swept on Wednesday night by a storm surge that battered a coastal village in Zamboanga City.

Senior Inspector Chester Natividad, Police Station 10 chief, said at least three villages of Barangay Labuan, some 36 kilometers west from the city proper, were almost wiped out. 

Natividad said at least 40 houses in Purok 2 and 3 were totally damaged while 15 other residential houses were partially damaged by the storm surge in Purok 5. 

He said the residents evacuated when the storm surge struck the place about 8 p.m. Wednesday sending people to move to higher grounds.

“Succeeding big waves battered the affected places about 8 p.m. last night and continued to surge forcing many of the residents to evacuate to safer grounds,” Natividad said.

The police official said, however, that no one was reported dead from the calamity.

Meanwhile, the coast guard station here rescued at least 20 local tourists who were stranded Wednesday night in the nearby Sta. Cruz Island, about half a nautical mile off Zamboanga, due to rough seas.

Lt. Senior Grade Jomark Angue, coast guard station commander, said all the stranded victims were subsequently rescued twi hours before the New Year. 

At least 20 fishing crew were also rescued hours earlier when their fishing boat was swept by big waves to the coastal village of Sinunuc.