‘Ompong’ leaves 114 dead
A week after devastating Northern Luzon, Typhoon Ompong left 114 dead in the region and other parts of the country, with dozens still missing.
Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat, commander of the military’s Northern Luzon Command, on Sunday said 48 bodies have been recovered by authorities in Barangay Ucab, Itogon, Benguet, where a bunkhouse collapsed last week at the height of the typhoon.
In the whole province of Benguet, according to Salamat, 25 died in Itogon, one each in Tuba and Bokod, three in La Trinidad and 13 in Baguio City.
Most of the victims in Itogon were killed in landslides.
The whole region of Cagayan Valley suffered 10 fatalities: four in Nueva Vizcaya and six in the Cagayan towns of Peñablanca, Iguig, Gonzaga and Baggao.
Authorities reported three deaths in Central Luzon, six in Mountain Province and one each in Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Albay and Caloocan City.
Salamat said they have to “downsize” the number of responders, especially in the town of Itogon.
He cited another threat of landslides in the area as raised by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“Control point in Barangay Ucab was moved back to the barangay [village]hall. As assessed, at anytime, a landslide can occur. Immediate forced evacuation of local residents [would have]to be implemented with local government units and the Philippine National Police,” Salamat told reporters.
He pointed to a 300-man contingent of responders that was reduced to six.
Presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino on Saturday said the government would restrict access of the media covering the landslide in Benguet to protect them from danger.
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