‘Queenie’ leads to calamity state in 15 towns

CEBU CITY—A state of calamity has been declared in 15 southern towns of Cebu province following the onslaught of Tropical Storm “Queenie,” which destroyed or damaged P231-million worth of infrastructure and houses when it crossed parts of the Visayas late last month.

According to a report by the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office on Dec. 1, Queenie damaged or destroyed P106 million worth of houses in the towns of Argao, Alcoy, Alegria, Alcantara, Badian, Boljoon, Dalaguete, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Moalboal, Ronda, Samboan, Oslob, Dumanjug and Santander.

At least P70 million worth of infrastructure were destroyed and P55 million in sources of livelihood were lost in the southern towns.

Queenie spawned heavy rains and winds of more than 60 kph when it crossed the Visayas, particularly Cebu, Bohol and Negros islands on Nov. 27.

Cebu fatality

In Cebu, a 40-year-old woman drowned in flood in the village of Sto. Niño in Malabuyoc when the Saliring River overflowed.

She was identified as Alona Baldado. Her son, Jason, 8, survived by clinging to a coconut tree to escape the flood.

A fisherman from the village of Alo in Oslob town, Feliciano Looc, had been reported missing after he went out to sea despite the bad weather.

In Negros Oriental, two persons from the towns of Tanjay and Jimalalud were killed while six others are still missing. At least 2,716 persons had been displaced.

The fatality in Jimalalud had been identified as Gregorio Paculanang, 77, who suffered a heart attack when his house in the village of Poloantao was hit by a falling coconut tree.

Adrian Sedillo, cochair of the Negros Oriental provincial disaster risk reduction management council, said strong winds and heavy rains destroyed 39 houses and damaged 133 others in the cities of Tanjay, Dumaguete and Bais and the towns of Valencia, Sibulan, Pamplona, Manjuyod, Bindoy, Ayungon and Tayasan.

Bridge washed away

He said there was no serious damage on infrastructure in Negros Oriental except on a detour bridge in Barangay Matuog, Ayungon, which was washed out by rampaging floodwater.

Six persons are still missing in the towns of Zamboanguita, Ayungon and Tayasan.

Three of them were passengers of a motor boat that capsized in waters off Zamboanguita town.

A security guard, identified only as Deguitos, had been declared missing after he fell from a bridge in Barangay Maaslum, Ayungon.

In the adjacent town of Tayasan, Mayor Susano Ruperto said authorities are searching for Hanilyn Andales, 25, and her three-year-old daughter, Jean, who were swept by the river current in Barangay Cambaye.

Queenie came just as many parts of the Visayas continue to reel from the effects of Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” the strongest storm to ever hit land in recent memory.