By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Typhoon Gener’s wrath, particularly its strong rains that pounded the Cordillera region since Tuesday, led to three death, two missing and four injured as damage to infra-projects and agricultural roads are still being assessed by the government disaster watchdog.

The Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) identified the dead as Prisca Solang Pacyaya, 64, Clinton P. Idio, 15, and Efren Forawit, 34. Pacyaya and Idio are both from Itogon, Benguet who died due to landslide from separate incidents. From Demang, Sadanga, Mountain Province was Efren Forawit who died from drowning.

Reports stated that in the Southern Benguet, Pacyaya tried to check her home at Ampucao, Itogon at 4:30 AM on July 31 during the strong rain. While outside, she was hit by a landslide and was recovered at 9am on the next day by volunteers, including policemen. Idio on the other hand was reportedly on riding his motorcycle when he was hit by landslide at First Gate, in Barangay Ucab, Itogon.

In Northern Benguet, two youthe were drowned identified as Jerry Turo and John Regueros, both 15 years old from Natubleng, Buguias, Benguet.

Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan said that one was already found and recovered.

Landslides also caused injuries to four persons in Ifugao, Mountain Province and Benguet. Ezekiel Calubaguib and Rona Del Ramos, both 16 years old, were riding on a motorcycle and were hit by rockslides at Sitio O-ong, Pitawan, Hingyon, Ifugao. They were brought and are now recuperating at the Bayombong Hospital in Nueva Vizcaya.

Jennilyn Pallo, a 38 year old, was hit by a landslide in Sitio Silin, Tucucan, Bontoc, Mountain Province while Veronica Bautista, 19 year old, was hit by landslide in Botiwtiw, Balili, La Trinidad.

As Typhoon Gener pounded the region with heavy rains, it affected 1,671 families or the equivalent of 8,149 persons in 60 barangays of the region.

Six hundred seventy-four persons or 155 families, whose homes are threatened by landslides, evacuated to various shelters.

CRDRRMC said that preemptive evacuation was given priority to five high risk communities that they identified namely,City Camp, Baguio City for possible flashflood, and barangays Puguis, La Trinidad; Ambassador, Tublay; Luneta, Itogon; Camp 6, Tuba, all of Benguet for possible landslides. The DILG-CAR issued a memorandum to LGUs on the implementation of the preemptive evacuation.

There are four close-open roads while six closed roads which include the Shilan-Beckel Road; Mountain Province –Ilocos Sur road via Tue, Tadian, Mountain Province; Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur road via Kayan, Tadian, Mountain Province; and Mountain Province – Cagayan road via Tabuk-Enrile road. All these roads are under clearing operations.

Gov. Fongwan said however that all roads in Benguet are already open to vehicles.

Meanwhile CRDRRMC reported that there 13 totally damaged houses and 93 partially damaged houses in the various areas of the region.

Damage to agriculture and infra-projects are still being assessed as of press time. # nordis.net