533 people still missing in typhoons’ wake

Spokesman of the 10th Infantry Division Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon Paniza: Capion is bandit. Photo from https://rudedolfo.blogspot.com

MANILA, Philippines—More than 500 people remain missing in the aftermath of Typhoon Pablo, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said Saturday.

In its 6 a.m. update, the NDRRMC said that of the 533 persons reported missing, 357 were in New Bataan, Compostela Valley, and 150 in General Santos City.

Missing persons were also reported in Siquijor, Davao Oriental, Agusan del Sur, and in the towns of Laak, Compostela, Monkayo, and Pantukan in Compostela Valley.

According to NDRRMC, 456 people were killed in the nine regions hit by the typhoon.

Of the deaths, 416 were in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley, the NDRRMC said.

A number of the fatalities were unidentified, including 80 who drowned in Baganga town in Davao Oriental; 66 who drowned or were killed in a landslide in Monkayo, Compostela Valley; and 50 in New Bataan, Compostela Valley, whose cause of death was not indicated in the NDRRMC report.

The NDRRMC said 445 persons were injured in the provinces affected by the typhoon.

Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, spokesperson of the Army’s 10th Division, told the Inquirerby phone that 439 people were reported missing and 518 injured in Compostela Valley alone.

Paniza said that of the 286 reported dead in Compostela Valley, 157 were from New Bataan.

Of the 157 fatalities, 78 have been identified and the rest remain unidentified.

There were 393 persons reported missing in New Bataan, including seven soldiers from the Charlie company of the Army’s 66th Infantry Battalion, Paniza said.

There were 341 injured in New Bataan, which was hit by a landslide and flashflood, Paniza said.

Paniza said four soldiers from Charlie company were confirmed dead and 21 were injured. He said all 32 soldiers in the two platoons were already accounted for.

The soldiers, led by their company commander, Lt. Alex Deazeta, were at their  temporary command post in Barangay Andap in New Bataan when the landslide, aggravated by flashfloods, hit the town. Deazeta was injured.

The soldiers were initially there for a peace and development mission but were directed to prepare for search and rescue operations after it was announced that Typhoon Pablo would hit Compostela Valley.