Bagyong Juaning, 30 killed,more missing

Once again, Philippines is suffering from another storm's fury. This is not normal anymore since we are experiencing series of storms manifesting climate change. But still, its not too late to heal our mother earth. It's not too late to change lifestyle and its not too late to help one another.

Meanwhile,

Albay Governor Joey Salceda’s mother died after sustaining a head injury inside their house Wednesday morning at the height of Tropical Storm “Juaning,” bringing the total number of fatalities caused by the storm to 20, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.

NDRRMC executive director and Defense Undersecretary Benito Ramos offered a short prayer during the 11 a.m. press briefing at the NDRRMC main office in Camp Murphy, Quezon City.

Also at the briefing were key government officials and humanitarian agency officials such as Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) secretary general Gwendolyn Pang and PRC-Quezon City chapter administrator Annie Torres.

Ramos said Cielo Adelina Sarte Salceda, 88, slipped on the wet floor while on the way to the toilet at about 1 a.m. She sustained head injuries after hitting the stairs. There was power cut off when the victim slipped on the floor.

The Salceda residence in Polangui, Albay was also flooded, reports reaching NDRRMC said.

The elder Salceda was taken to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRRTH) in Legazpi City where she died at 6:54 a.m.

Albay residents left messages of sympathy for the family on the governor’s Facebook Account.

At least 10 power lines were down in Quezon Province, Bicol region and Pangasinan due to strong winds, NDRRMC said.

Ramos said most of the fatalities were from Albay, while the rest came from Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Marinduque, Cavite, Quezon and Iloilo provinces.

Nine people were reported missing as of 6 a.m. Wednesday while a total of 129,576 families or 645,137 individuals are now in evacuation centers nationwide.

Ramos said Juaning dumped heavy rains in Albay and Camarines Sur, causing floods. “Those two provinces are underwater,” he told reporters.

Juaning made a landfall around 9 a.m. in Casiguran, Aurora and was forecast to move to Central Luzon and exit in the area of Pangasinan and La Union on Thursday morning.

Six domestic flights were canceled Wednesday morning due to inclement weather brought by tropical storm “Juaning.”

As of 9:30 a.m., the affected flights include four from Cebu Pacific and two from Air Philippines Express.

A total of 533 passengers were stranded in the ports of Mamburao (44), Batangas (300), Puerto Real (39), and Lucena (150). In Region 2, a total of 22 passengers were stranded in Aparri, Cagayan.

In Region IV-A, MV Henrik with 15 crew members on board, was swept away while at the vicinity waters of Balesin Island and Polilio Island last Tuesday morning, July 26.

Last July 25, two and four motorized banca went fishing at the vicinity waters of Jomalig, Balesin Island, Polilio and Patnanungan area. The names of the fishing boats are FB Kenrick and FB Kimberly.

MB Kenrick remained missing.

The owner of the boat was trying to locate the missing boat at the nearby Barangays of Pamatdan and Bislian, Polilio where the boat was last seen.

In Region IV-B, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel rescued nine fishermen from Dalahican, Lucena City, whose fishing boats (Nea and Norma) capsized in Libtangin, Gasan, Marinduque.

NDRRMC said continuous rains and floodings in Region 4-A affected the ricefields in Barangays Villa Hermosa, Magilayan, San Roque, Tan-ag, Ilaya, Bakungan, Lalaguna, and Rizal Barrio, all in Lopez, Quezon.

A total of 171 families or 904 persons were affected by floods in five barangays in Mulanay, Quezon. They evacuated to Mulanay Session Hall and houses of friends/relatives.

Three barangays of San Francisco, Quezon (Poblacion 2, Cawayan 1 and 2) were also affected by floodings (waist-deep high), affecting 50 families or 250 persons. They were evacuated at Central Annex School, ABC Building, and Parochial Church.

A road leading to Sitio Caginsa, Barangay Casay, San Francisco, Quezon remained impassable due to land lides.he Road was rendered impassable, Ramos said.

Other landslides were reported in Presentacion; Tinambac; Labawan, Buhi; and Camangahan, Balatan, all in Camarines Sur; Barangay Darao, Caramoran, Catanduanes; and Gabon, Polangui, Albay.

NDRRMC said the continuous rains within the Ipo Watershed caused an increase in the water elevation of Ipo Dam.

The water releases from Ipo Dam is expected to affect the low-lying areas along the Angat River from Norzagaray to Hagonoy, Bulacan.