Race to find missing as new Tropical Storm ‘Leon’ enters PH

Rescuers raced against time to reach people still stranded or missing in areas made inaccessible by flooding from Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” which displaced nearly half a million people and killed at least 87, as tropical storm “Kong-Rey” is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility today and develop into a typhoon by Monday.

Kong-Rey, last spotted 1,630 kilometers east of Central Luzon, will be named “Leon” upon entering the country.

While an Agence France Presse tally based on official police and disaster agency sources put the death toll at 87, the Office of Civil Defense logged a slightly lower total of 81 fatalities.

OCD Administrator Usec. Ariel Nepomuceno said 66 persons were reported injured while 34 remained reported missing.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, at least 4.472 million people or equivalent to 1.062 million families were severely affected by the weather disturbance.

NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said Bicol Region was hit the hardest with 473,920 affected individuals, followed by Eastern Visayas with 178,685, Central Luzon with 104,682 and BARMM with 89,132.

Damage to infrastructure stood at P203.82 million, accounting for damaged roads, bridges, school buildings, government facilities and health facilities.

Damage to agriculture, on the other hand, was estimated at P87.52 million, affecting 3,049 farmers and fisherfolk and 1,613.77 hectares of crops.

There are 83 cities and municipalities placed under state of calamity due to “Kristine,” Posadas said.

In Batangas, rescuers were using backhoes and shovels to dig through mud as high as high as three meters (10 feet) in a desperate search for the missing in areas hit by landslides.

“We are desperate to find people in safe condition. Deep inside, I am hoping that many of those reported missing are not under the mud and boulders, but simply went somewhere without telling others,” provincial police chief Jacinto Malinao said.

The number of confirmed dead in Batangas stood at 51, with at least 22 people missing.

In the Bicol region, residents trapped on the roofs and upper floors of their homes were still awaiting desperately needed assistance.

“The floods have yet to subside. Calls asking for help are still pouring here,” regional police director Andre Dizon said.

“We need to rescue them as soon as possible because starvation can be a problem. We’re hearing reports that children are already getting sick.” With AFP