No sign of life in the rubble of Natonin DPWH

No sign of life in the rubble of Natonin DPWH

NATONIN, Mountain Province: Hundreds of rescuers are fighting time to find survivors under the rubble of a four-storey Public Works and Highways Department (DPWH) building that has been buried under an avalanche of tons of mud and rocks triggered strong winds and heavy rains from typhoon Rosita (international name: Yutu).

Search, rescue and recovery operations intensified on Saturday, its fourth day as the reported death toll increased late Friday night after six corpses were found at various near-ground zero sites in Hacrang, the Barangay Banawel.

Data collected from the Cordillera Regional Reduction and Disaster Risk Management Board (CDRRMC) on November 2 showed that 20 people died in the landslide, 22 were injured and 26 are still missing.

Natonin mayor Mateo Chiyawan said that although he had lost hope of recovering the survivors from the ravine, he had ordered rescuers to continue their operations to recover the casualties, including his baby. – son, who had been buried by the landslide.

"We always keep our fingers crossed over the fact that there are still survivors under the rubble or that they may have been thrown several meters from the site. This is why rescuers have changed their strategy and are focusing on areas several meters from zero to allow for the eventual recovery of survivors and the recovery of victims, "he said.

Chiyawan added that regional and local disaster officials had agreed to conduct intensive search, rescue and recovery operations until Monday, before determining whether any efforts would be left to the city's reduction and management board. disaster risk, to residents and volunteers of the city.

Tiburcio Canlas, director of the DPWH-Cordillera, said: "It will take some time before our men will end up clearing the landslide because of the wide range of damage."

Of the 15 corpses found on the various sites, eight were identified by their relatives and were brought home, while the seven unidentified bodies are still waiting to be identified by members of their family with the family. assistance from the crime scene team.

Among the 16 missing, there are employees of two local construction companies working on the completion of the DPWH building, five members of the geographic unit of the armed forces and some residents whose homes were part of the building. structures buried by the landslide.

Ester Galong, Randy Sayog, Inocencio Gollingoy, Juanita Longan, Virginia Catet, Goyogan Catet, Roger Alubong, Jhon Tumakcheg, Eddie Galonya, Reggie Tayag, Jojo Ngilin, "Balong Epal", "Futek", Linson Falinchang and "Lemmon," " Bo-oy, "Ober Orchhon, Garry Hecyawon, Gulhawan Obaldo, and four unidentified workers.

At the same time, Rosita reached 60,265 families in the Ilocos, Cagayan, Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas regions, according to the latest update from the National Center for Reduction and Disease. disaster risk management.

Of these, 135 families or 763 people are still served in 15 evacuation centers, while 7,861 homes were damaged.

Thirty-four sections of road and four bridges are still not passable in the Cagayan Valley, CAR and central Luzon, due to torrential rains and high winds.

WITH A REPORT BY THOM F. PICAÑA AND ROY D. R. NARRA