MANILA, Philippines ? (UPDATE 4) At least six persons have died and four more are missing as Tropical Storm Feria crosses Luzon, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said.
In its latest report, the NDCC said that the sixth victim, identified as Vicente Layague, was killed after being swept away by strong flood waters in Bantayan, Cebu.
The four missing persons bring the total to 11.
Two fishermen from Matnog, Sorsogon and two from Camanci, Batan, Aklan, were reported missing, the NDCC said.
Meanwhile, three persons were reported injured with the latest identified as Domingo Ilustrisimo from Marivacan, Sta. Fe, Cebu. He was injured by a coconut tree which fell due to strong winds, the NDCC said.
Packing winds of up to 75 kilometers per hour with gusts of up to 90 kilometers the storm brought floods, landslides and power cuts across small islands in the center of the archipelago.
Earlier on Wednesday, ferries were barred from sailing, leaving 4,730 passengers and 227 vessels stranded.
Four fishermen drowned off Alabat Island in Quezon province southeast of Manila late Tuesday as they tried to steer their boat to shelter from the approaching cyclone, said Perez municipal police chief Inspector Susan Planas.
The victims were identified as boat captain Roberto Longaza, Ruben Rajas, Boyet Drias and Ryan Brogada.
Eleven other crew members were rescued but one of them was injured, she said in a telephone interview.
One fisherman drowned off Bantayan Island of Cebu and eight others were missing off Cebu and Samar islands. A child was also missing in a flooded section of Romblon Island, the civil defense office said.
In Eastern Samar, the missing persons were identified as Potenciano Amante, Boboy Cabanatan, Olimpyo Darang and Totoy Orayon, the NDCC said.
In Cebu, fisherman Maximo Sanchez from Poblacion, Compostela, and Wilmo Cantilan of Barangay Pulangbato, Bogo were also reported missing.
A four-year-old child from in the village of Conception Sur, Sta. Maria Romblon was reported swept away by floods.
A school and 23 houses were also destroyed in Eastern Samar and Romblon.
Power cuts were also reported in parts of Metro Manila.
A school holiday has been declared in the capital and in other areas in the storm's path.
In Romblon province, several villages in the towns of Looc, Alcantara, San Fernando, and Odiongan in Romblon province were flooded as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, said Chief Superintendent Luisito Palmera, MIMAROPA regional police chief.
The Panagcalan and Pili Bridges in San Fernando were also damaged because of the rains. Police estimated the total cost of the damage to reach P70,000, while another P20,000 has been lost due to damaged crops and other livelihood.
One oil tanker and 17 passengers of a pump boat were also stranded because of the rains, Palmera said.
Citing the report of the Philippine Coast Guard, a total of 4,730 passengers have been stranded in the ports of Ormoc, Catbalogan, Tagbilaran, Maasin, Cebu, Dumaguete, Tacloban, Caticlan, Bacolod, Iloilo, Roxas, Batangas, Lucena, Calapan, Romblon, San Jose, tabaco, Victory, Pio Duran, Pilar, Bulan, Bapor and Milagrosa.
In Calapan City, a total of 612 passengers and 150 vehicles where stranded at the port, he said.
Fourteen buses, and 136 cargo trucks and private vehicles could not leave the port as roll-on, roll-off ships have been barred from sailing since Tuesday night.
Local police and the city disaster council have been tasked to provide assistance to stranded passengers, Palmera said.
In Manila, Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa has deployed members of the elite Special Action Force, Maritime Group and other support to assist in rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.
Verzosa also ordered all regional police directors to ready their disaster response plans and assist the civil defense and local government units in assisting affected residents.
In Metro Manila, the National Capital Region police office has also been alerted to assist in rescue operations particularly in flood-prone areas, Verzosa said.
Pagasa plotted the storm 60 kilometers southeast of Calapan City or 80 kilometers northwest of Romblon, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 90 kilometers per hour.
By Friday morning, it is expected to be at 140 kilometers northwest of Laoag City and 210 kilometers Northwest of Basco, Batanes by Saturday morning.
Signal number 2 has been raised over Metro Manila, Rizal, Bataan, Cavite, Marinduque, Romblon, Southern Quezon, Mindoro provinces including Lubang Island, Batangas, Laguna.
Signal number 1 was raised over Calamian Group of Island including Cuyo Island, Masbate, Ticao Island, Burias Island, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Provinces, rest of Quezon including Polilio Island, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Antique, and Pangasinan.
Storm warning signals elsewhere have been lowered, Pagasa said.
Residents living in low-lying, mountainous and coastal areas where storm warning signals have been raised are alerted against possible flashfloods, landslides and storm surges.
Meanwhile, Central and Southern Luzon and the provinces of Northern Panay will experience stormy weather, Pagasa said in its weather forecast.
The rest of Luzon and the rest of Visayas will experience rains with gusty winds with moderate to rough seas while the rest of the country will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, it said.
