MANILA – Five bodies were recovered while around 22 others were feared dead after a landslide struck a Department of Public Works and Highways building in Natonin, Mountain Province amid typhoon Rosita on Tuesday.
Three of the five bodies have been identified – one of them was someone who tried to rescue those trapped inside the building – while the others, mostly construction workers, were still inside and might be dead, according to Natonin mayor Mateo Chiyawan.
“These 22 missing are considered casualties, no chances of survival,” Chiyawan told CNN Philippines Wednesday morning. “Karamihan ng natabunan laborers ng second building.”
“Rescue operations are still ongoing but ang challenge lang is the roads leading to the building ay accessible by foot,” he added. “It’s completely ground zero. Wala kang makitang building, lahat putik.”
Laborers and residents sought refuse inside the DPWH building amid the heavy rains and strong winds brought about by the typhoon, Chiyawan said.
“Ginawang evacuation center kasi malakas ang hangin. Itong building ay concrete so feasible for an evacuation center,” he said. “Noong humina iyong hangin, nag-alisan na (iyong residents) at naiwan na lang iyong laborers for the construction.”
Meanwhile Malacañang condoled with the families of the landslide victims and assured that efforts to search for survivors were ongoing.
“The Palace wishes to express its deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims who perished in Natonin, Mountain Province,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
President Rodrigo Dutere was closely monitoring the situation of areas affected by typhoon Rosita, which made landfall in Northern Luzon on Tuesday morning, said Panelo.
“[Duterte] is on top of the situation, and he, together with the rest of the members of Cabinet, will visit the affected areas to assess the situation,” he said.
“The public can count on the government that it will undertake all necessary actions and not take a load off, if need be, during this time of adversity,” the Palace spokesman added.
Rosita affected 11,878 families (38,398 persons) in 478 barangays in Regions I, II, III, and the Cordillera Administrative Region, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
A total of 8,864 families (32,519 persons) were preemptively evacuated in these regions, while 10 incidents that include landslide and flooding were reported in Regions II and CAR./PN
