Manila: Twenty-three were killed including 20 missing, in a landslide in southern Philippines’ Bukidnon province, authorities said.
Three people identified as Sheryl Sadsad, 27, Segundina Lagunay, 68, and daughter Marites Lagunay, 40, were confirmed dead due to landslide in Lumbayao village at 8 Monday morning, Police Chief Canilo Fuentes of Bukidnon said in a radio interview.
Twenty others remained missing after a landslide buried a vehicle in Lumbayao village, Valencia City, Bukidnon at six Monday morning, Undersecretary Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in a TV interview.
A rescue operation by volunteers and policemen has not yet recovered survivors because of bad weather, Ramos said.
Meanwhile, 31 people, including one missing, three-month old Mark Louie Falomar, were killed due to landslides and flashfloods that affected five villages, four municipalities, and one city in Davao Oriental, Ramos said.
The fatalities included 12 adults and 19 children, said Ramos, adding the youngest victims also included eight-month old John Cris Alvarez and nine-month old Carl Andre Oliveros. Several two year old children also died from the disaster.
Some 14,726 families from 51 different areas were displaced by the disaster, said Ramos, adding that only 95 families were brought to five evacuation centres that were established by the government. The rest stayed with relatives in safer areas, said Ramos.
It was the first time for Davao to suffer from floods due to days of rains. It rains every afternoon in Davao. Its tall mountain rangers protect it from storms, making it a perfect plantation area.
Continuous rains affected Davao due to inter-tropical convergence zone which attracted monsoon rains, Ramos explained.
Some 21 typhoons visit the Philippines from June to November.
