22 dead, 27 missing in Baybay, Leyte, due to Agaton —LGU

Twenty-two people were confirmed dead while 27 were missing in Baybay City in Leyte following the onslaught of Tropical Depression Agaton, the local government said Tuesday.

“As of 10:34 kagabi, we have 22 casualties. Ang missing po natin is 27 as of 8:30 this morning,” city information officer Marissa Miguel Cano told GMA News Online.

(As of 10:34 p.m. on Monday, we have 22 casualties. The missing persons were at 27 as of 8:30 this morning.)

Cano said there were 10 landslide incidents reported in the city.

In a separate interview on Dobol B TV, Baybay City Police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Joemen Collado said authorities have recovered 21 bodies while search continues for six missing individuals.

“Mayroon pa tayong six missing na mga individuals. Sa mga na-recover nating mga, unfortunately, cadavers, meron po tayong 21,” he said.

(We have six missing individuals. We have recovered, unfortunately, 21 cadavers from the landslides.)

Collado said that police have monitored around six incidents of landslides in the city.

According to the police official, it was the first time Baybay experienced severe flooding and landslide, resulting in authorities being caught off guard.

“Actually po, sa data po natin dito, ngayon lang po nangyari yung ganito sa Baybay City, yung pagbaha tsaka yung mga landslide kaya medyo nabigla rin po ang authority natin,” he said.

(Actually, based on our data, it was the first time that flooding and landslide like this happened in Baybay City. That is why our authorities were caught off guard.)

Collado urged concerned groups and government units to deliver more relief items to the city as authorities are uncertain how long the inclement weather would last.

As of 7 a.m. on Tuesday, state weather bureau PAGASA said the center of Tropical Depression Agaton was estimated at 11.2°N, 125.2°E in the vicinity of Marabut, Samar.

The first cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, Agaton was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 75 km/h, and central pressure of 1000 hPa, according to PAGASA.

PAGASA said Agaton, which is moving slowly eastward, has strong winds or higher that extend outwards up to 150 km from the center.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, state weather bureau PAGASA said the following areas remain under TCWS No. 1:

• the southern portion of Masbate (Dimasalang, Cawayan, Palanas, Placer, Cataingan, Esperanza, Pio V. Corpuz)
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Northern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• the northeastern portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, City of Bogo, Tabogon, Borbon, Sogod) including Camotes Island
• Dinagat Islands

PAGASA said these areas have strong winds prevailing or are expected within the next 36 hours that may result in minimal to minor threat to life and property.  —KBK, GMA News