25 dead due to Typhoon Ompong

Twenty-five people died on Saturday as Typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) hit Luzon.

Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino on Sunday said 20 of the fatalities were from the Cordillera Administrative Region, four from Nueva Vizcaya, and one from Ilocos Region, according to a report on Super Radyo dzBB by Allan Gatus.

Among the fatalities in CAR was a family of six who died after their house in Baguio City was buried in a landslide.

A resident in Kalinga also died after a rock fell on him due to soil erosion. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

In Nueva Vizcaya, another family of four died Saturday afternoon after their house in a remote barangay was buried in a landslide. Killed were a 36-year-old father and his three children, with one of them aged two years old and the other one, eight months old. Three of the family members earlier proceeded to the evacuation center and were spared from the tragic accident.

In Ilocos Sur, a man was cleaning up debris when a mango tree fell on him. He was pronounced dead on arrival.

Two others were reported missing in CAR.

A vehicle of the Department of Public Works and Highways which was buried in a landslide was found, and all its passengers were rescued and generally unharmed.

Tolentino said there were no reports yet of casualties from Cagayan and Isabela.

Meanwhile, a crew from TV 5 was reported missing as of Sunday morning. TV reporter Romel Lopez, his cameraman, and his assistant cameraman were last seen in Santa Ana, Cagayan. The news team was later found safe, according to TV5 in a tweet.

Power, communication, relief goods

Efforts are being done to restore power and communication to areas affected, Tolentino said.

He added that relief goods have already been prepositioned even in remote areas.

Rescue and clearing operations personnel are also on standby at the Office of Civil Defense and ready for deployment.

Tolentino said he is on his way to Kalinga to get reports from the ground then will be back in Cagayan in time for the visit of President Rodrigo Duterte. —KG, GMA News