Storm Dante leaves 2 dead in Mindanao
A teenage girl and an elderly man drowned in swollen rivers while another man was reported missing as heavy rains spawned by Tropical Storm “Dante” (international name: Choi-wan) caused flooding in parts of Mindanao on Sunday.
In Malalag town, Davao del Sur, police said 71-year-old Porperio Sabate Pilapil was on his way home when floodwaters swept him away as he tried to cross a raging river on his bike.
His body was found on Monday morning, according to Police Capt. Jocyviel Zamora, Malalag police officer in charge.
In South Cotabato, search and rescue teams fished out from Banga River the body of Divine Grace Moreno, a 14-year-old resident of Barangay San Miguel in Norala town, around 5 p.m. on Sunday, provincial disaster response officer Rolly Aquino told the Inquirer.
Search ongoing
But her father, 55-year-old Prudencio, had yet to be found as of noon Monday.
Father and daughter were swept away by raging currents as Banga River, a major waterway traversing at least five villages in South Cotabato, overflowed due to heavy rains. The victims had gone to an area near the river where they were keeping ducks.
Article continues after this advertisementAccording to Aquino, floods triggered by Dante’s heavy rains destroyed various infrastructure like walkways, a hanging bridge, flood control dikes and also damaged rice fields and communities in the towns of Banga and Norala in South Cotabato.
Article continues after this advertisementAiza Lim, Norala municipal disaster risk reduction and management officer, said the floodwaters came from the upland towns of T’boli and Lake Sebu.
Excess water from Banga River also spilled over to the neighboring Sultan Kudarat town of Isulan, where disaster response officials rescued several families trapped in their houses.
In Davao City, overflowing creeks forced the evacuation of 10 families in Bago Aplaya, 12 families in Bunawan and 62 families in Tolomo Proper.
Signal No. 1
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 4 p.m. on Monday, Dante was estimated at 375 kilometers east of Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur province, with maximum winds of up to 75 km per hour and gusts of 90 kph. It maintained its trajectory, moving 20 kph northwest.
Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 was raised over the eastern portion of Northern Samar and the northeastern portion of Eastern Samar. Senior weather specialist Chris Perez said the warning signal should give residents enough time to prepare for Dante’s strong winds.
On Tuesday, residents in Caraga, Davao region, Eastern Visayas and the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental may experience light to moderate with at times heavy rains.
Dante was expected to gain strength and become a severe tropical storm by Wednesday, while moving over the Philippine Sea, before exiting by Saturday morning.
