Landslide claims 11 lives in Albay town; 8 still missing

LEGAZPI CITY—Rescuers in Tiwi town in Albay province will continue the search overnight for eight remaining residents, now believed to be dead, in three villages after a landslide spawned by Tropical Depression “Usman” covered multiple houses in the area on Saturday evening.

Jose Edmar Rodriguez, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer 1 in Tiwi, said that floodlights have been installed in the area to facilitate the retrieval operations if the bodies of the victims would not be found before dark.

Meanwhile, 11 have been confirmed dead in the villages of Sugod (7), Bariis (1); and Maynonong (3).

The youngest victim was Niña Angeline Bobis, 6, whose body was found in Sugod village. Seven-year-old Jasmine Consulta’s body was also recovered in Maynonong along with her sister Sharmaine, 10; and mother Ranel, 45.

Three other minors were recovered in Sugod—Maylene Dacuno, 10; Gabriel Ignacio, 11; and Mark Angelo Cimbulan, 15. Among the dead in the village were Nimrod Bobis Jr., 40; Rita Climacosa, 52; and Clerigo Ronnie.

In Bariis village, the body of a certain Ruben Conventido, 52, was also recovered.

Evacuees in Tiwi town have been decamped aside from residents of Bagumbayan village.

Meanwhile, 15 were recorded injured due to the tropical depression that weakened to a low pressure area on Saturday afternoon.

In an earlier interview, Manuel Damo, head of Tiwi’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the victims may have gone home after Usman was downgraded to an LPA, not realizing that the LPA would still bring heavy rain. /ee