‘Ofel’ kills 10, derails train

LUCENA CITY—Heavy rains and floods spawned by Tropical Storm “Ofel” damaged a section of a railway in Sariaya, Quezon, and derailed a passing train early Friday, injuring six passengers of the Bicol-bound train.

“Ofel,” which left at least 10 people dead, has moved out of the country, prompting the state weather bureau to lift all storm signals across the country Friday.

Three of the five coaches of a Philippine National Railways train with 128 passengers on board fell on its left side at around 12:20 a.m. on Friday as it was traversing the village of Canda in Sariaya, according to Henry Buzar, coordinator of the Calabarzon disaster risk and management council (DRRMC).

“The train engine coach fell on its side and the two other coaches followed before it crossed the bridge,” Superintendent Vilmor Manzano, Sariaya police chief,  said over the phone.

Raging river currents also caused the railway bridge in Sariaya to collapse.

Foundation collapses

Manzano said the foundation of the bridge on Canda River collapsed after it was battered by strong currents after several hours of heavy rains that loosened the side of the railways.

With the railway bridge destroyed, travel by train from Manila to Bicol has been suspended, according to Emma Sales, PNR manager for Quezon-Laguna area.

The National Disaster Risk

Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday that “Ofel” has left at least 10 people dead and nine missing. Inquirer, however, placed the death toll at 13.

NDRRMC said the latest fatalities were teachers Eve Fajutag and Grace Mallorca who drowned after their pump boat sank off Romblon on

Friday afternoon, and 5-year-old Mary Jane Canete of Masbate who died on Thursday when a tree fell on her.

The NDRRMC said a landslide smashed into the home of 4-year-old Princess Najera in San Juan, Batangas, early Friday.

The other fatalities were Sheila Mae Resaba, 4, of Sitio Kagang in Glan, Sarangani, who was hit by timber on Oct 24; Salustiano Fabellon, 77, who was hit by a fallen tree in Romblon; Sophia Recto, 88, who died of hypothermia in Marinduque; Rigel Saycon, 18, who drowned in Cebu City; Roberto Manongdong, who drowned  in Batangas City; and Olive Belyn Luna, 18, who died in Oriental Mindoro.

As of Thursday, the NDRRMC said Ofel has affected 2,278 families or 10,935 persons in the Calabarzon and Mimaropa areas, and the Visayas region.

9 still unaccounted for

Nine were reported missing. These include Jonrey Acaro, 28, of Southern Leyte; Jonnie Ocson, 8, of Odiongan, Romblon; Abet Posto, 12; Ariel Posto, 23; and Climente Umban, Jr., 50, all of Tacloban City; Muhammad Kanape Guiamad, 11, of Cotabato City; and Rolando Chavez of Zamboanga del Sur.

Ofel flooded 14 towns and cities in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon) regions, according to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC).

It also caused widespread power outages. DRMMC Calabarzon director Vicente Tomazar said Nemi Maryann Daca was killed in a landslide in Batangas.

Buried alive

In Talisay City, Cebu, Ruben Tabura, 66, was buried alive while bathing on Thursday in a nearby spring in the mountain village of Jaclupan, said Flor Gaviola, civil defense officer of the Office of the Civil Defense in Central Visayas (OCD-7).

In  Tulunan, North Cotabato, a 70-year-old woman died after she was swept by floods on Thursday afternoon,  police reported Friday.

Senior Insp. Ronnie Cordero, Tulunan police chief, said Delia Casel, 70, was trying to get out of her shanty by the Bacungan river in Sitio Sambulawan but was apparently weak to withstand the strong current.

Two children identified as John Ray Barientos and Rey Garanalso also went missing as the Bacung River in Barangay Bacung swelled and swept shanties by the riverbank, Cordero said.

With reports from Maricar Cinco, Marrah Erika Lesaba, Delfin Mallari Jr., Gerald Querubin, Madonna Virola and Romulo Ponte, Inquirer Southern Luzon; DJ Yap Tina santos in Manila; Joey Gabieta and Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas; and Williamor Magbanua and Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao