Basyang Exits Bikol with 4 Dead, 20 Still Missing

LEGAZPI CITY, July 15  - The death toll rose to four while 23 of the 43 people reported missing were recovered as typhoon Basyang hovered and hit on Wednesday the provinces of Catanduanes and Camarines Norte, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bikol said Thursday.

OCD report said Basyang left four persons dead in Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur and the causes of death were either drowning or hypothermia.

The report said search and rescue operations are still going on for the 20 people reported missing in the coastal villages of Camarines Norte and Catanduanes.

Most of the casualties were fishermen swept by giant waves spawned by typhoon Basyang when it passed the Bikol region, the report said.

Raffy Alejandro, OCD director, said they have dispatched Air Force helicopters, Philippine Navy Islander plane and sea vessels, Philippine Army trucks including the Philippine Coast Guard sea assets, to undertake rescue and recovery operation that led to the recovery of 23 missing people.

The list of people missing and recovered were reported in the towns of Bagamanoc with 11 people missing; Gigmoto with four; Caramoran, four missing with four recovered; Pandan, eight missing but all recovered in Catanduanes; Lagonoy , Camarines Sur with four; Malilipot, Albay with two but both recovered; Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte with 10 missing with nine recovered.

Alejandro said 400 bags of relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol were sent to Camarines Norte.

Report from the Philippine Army 9th Infantry Division (9ID) said soldiers were able to rescue 13 people in a coastal village of Pandan, Catanduanes and eight additional survivors who were fished-off in the waters near Butauanan Island in Siruma, Camarines Sur on Wednesday.

In Siruma town in Camarines Sur, Mayor Sandy Ondis, town mayor, reported that four other persons went missing as of Wednesday. He identified them as Julian Collada, Lito Orita, Eddie Orita, and Sisong Dy, who are said to be from Lagonoy town in Camarines Sur.

The 9th Infantry Division DRO platoon has been deployed to affected areas in Camarines Sur, Albay and Catanduanes to join in the search and rescue efforts.

Major General Ruperto Pabustan has placed all units on alert to provide immediate assistance to all victims of typhoon Basyang.

State of calamity

Meanwhile, 13 more fishermen were reported missing in Camarines Norte after the accounting of missing relatives in different villages today (July 15).

Newly declared missing persons are identified as Ramil Bellen, Joseph Forboso, Joey Villanueva, Larry Consuelo, Louie Consuelo, Ariel Pascual, Anthony Roldan, Gerry Roldan, Macmak Roldan, Clodualdo Era, Roberto Arcilla, JR Bogate and a certain Pater.

Local government, meanwhile, has already declared a state of calamity in the province of Camarines Norte after assessing the gravity of typhoon "Basyang's" destruction.

The Philippine Army 9th Infantry Division's Public Affairs Office has currently logged 35 missing persons all over Bikol Region.

Camarines Norte topped the list of provinces with missing persons with 18 followed by Catanduanes with 13 and Camarines Sur with 4.

Combined rescue teams from the military, police and civilian agencies as well as civilian volunteers have rescued a total of 22 survivors.

Eight of the survivors who were rescued in Siruma, Camarines Sur have been transported back to Camarines Norte after being treated at a hospital in Naga City this afternoon.

The massive search and rescue operations in Camarines Sur and Catanduanes involving over 500 AFP personnel yielded nothing as of 5:00 pm Thursday. (PNA/H. M. Cabunoc DPAO 9ID PA/PA)