Nearly 30 people missing in Biliran landslide due to Urduja

Nearly 30 people have remained missing after a landslide struck Biliran as Storm Urduja swept through the island province in Eastern Visayas on Saturday.

Chief Inspector Lilibeth Morillo of the Biliran Provincial Police Office told Balitanghali that of the estimated 30 missing people in the landslide, three bodies have been retrieved so far.

^{Photo courtesy Biliran LGU}

"More or less limang pamilya ang [affected], so yung estimated nila na bilang ay 30 [people]. Doon sa 30, may nakuha na tayong tatlo kagabi. So far, yun palang ang nakukuha nila," Morillo said, adding that rescuers are still looking for at least 27 people.

Grace Casil, mayor of Biliran town, said the landslide happened either in Naval or Almeria.

She said that in Biliran town, only one has been confirmed killed due to the effects of Urduja.

Morilla, meanwhile, said that several roads have been rendered impassable after the collapse of several bridges, particularly the Caray Caray Bridge in Naval town. The bridge, she said, is the main link of Biliran to mainland Leyte.

The police spokesperson added that power supply has yet to be restored in the province since Thursday, and that several communities have remained isolated due to the collapse of a number of bridges and flooded roads.

As of 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Urduja was spotted in the vicinity of Romblon, Romblon in Mimaropa region as it moved westward at 15 kph, state weather bureau PAGASA said. —LBG/ALG, GMA News