AT least 25 people died and eight were missing as tropical depression Agaton (international name: Megi) pounded parts of Visayas and Mindanao.
In Baybay City, Leyte on Monday, authorities recovered the bodies of 22 people who were buried alive in three barangays in Baybay City, Leyte, a day after their houses were covered by mud and boulders loosened by incessant rainfall.
At press time, the victims’ names had yet to be released by the city government.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported two fatalities in Monkayo, Davao de Oro, a third one in Cateel, Davao Oriental and a missing person in Monkayo, Davao de Oro.
The agency said in a statement that the deaths were still being validated while it was waiting for an official report on the causes.
Seven persons were also reported missing in two villages in Baybay City, which bore the brunt of Agaton.
Six of the victims were reportedly hit by a landslide in Barangay Can-ipa while the seventh was the son of the Visayas State University president who was last seen on a beach in Barangay Guadalupe on Sunday.
As of Monday, information was scarce from Baybay as power and communication lines in the city remained down.
A report from the Office of Civil Defense said that Agaton displaced 15,120 families or 66,485 people in Eastern Visayas region with Eastern Samar province recording 14,809 families (65,970 people), Leyte, 251 (1,274); and Southern Leyte, 60 (241).
Michael Ligalig, spokesperson for the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in Ormoc City, said that parts of the provinces of Leyte and Southern Leyte were without electricity.
Dead bodies to be retrieved in Bunga, Baybay City and around 13 houses were buried during an intense to torrential rainful on Saturday evening to Sunday brought about by Typhoon Agaton.
Of the 13 houses, 7 of them were able to evacuate in the nearby school and was safe.
Meanwhile, of the 15 individuals that were hurried, only 1 has been retrieved but was already dead as of yesterday April 11, 2022. The remaining 14 bodies has yet to be retrieved today and in the next days. The challenges of the retrieval team is the continued heavy to intense rainful.
As of Sunday the City Disaster Risk Reduction Council was activated and monitored the incidence of severe flooding and landslide in the city.
RNPC Dr Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr., on Monday messaged the City Nutrition Action Officer to activate immediately the nutrition cluster.
Initial report reveal that those in the evacuation centers and in the city hospitals needs food, clean water, clothes, beddings and other essential goods for the affected individuals and families.
