Basyang Death Toll in Bikol Rises to 17 with 32 Still Missing

LEGAZPI CITY, July 19 -- The death toll in Bikol due to typhoon Basyang has risen to 17 while 32 are still missing, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the region said Monday.

At least 83 people have been rescued even as search and recovery operations continue for over a week now after "Basyang" battered Bikol.

OCD report said elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are continuously conducting search and recovery operations using air, sea and land assets in Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes.The same report indicated that AFP elements were able to rescue 83 people, many of them from Jose Panganiban town in Camarines Norte and some from Albay.

The OCD report also said recovered were 17 bodies - eight in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte; five in Vinzons, Camarines Norte; one in Paracale, Camarines Norte; one in Caramoan, Camarines Sur and two others from an unidentified area.

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 an Air force helicopter, Philippine Navy Islander plane, and sea vessels as well as Philippine Army trucks and Philippine Coast Guard sea assets to undertake rescue and recovery operations.

The list of people still missing includes 11 in Bagamanoc, Catanduanes; six in Caramoan, Camarines Sur; four in Lagonoy, Camarines Sur; two in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte; three in Mangcawayan, Camarines Norte; five in Pinagtigasan, Camarines Norte; and one in Banocboc, Camarines Norte. (PNA)