13 dead, 26 missing in northern Luzon as typhoon exits: officials

October 31, 2018

At least 13 persons died while 26 were missing following the onslaught by Typhoon "Rosita" in northern Luzon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said Wednesday.

NDRRMC spokesman Edgar Posadas said they were still verifying a report that a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineering office was buried by a landslide in a town in Mountain Province.

But in a report, the Provincial Risk Reduction Management Office in Mountain Province said four died while 23 were missing in Sitio Hakrang, Banawel, Natonin.

In a press briefing, Posadas cited data from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)  regarding the number of casualties.

"Based on reports by the DILG, there were nine dead and three are still missing. This data are still in subject for validation of the Management of the Dead and Missing cluster," Posadas said.

According to Posadas, the data they received from DILG reported that three individuals from Mountain Province, four from Ifugao, one from Kalinga and one from Abra lost their lives due to landslides.

Regarding the buried DPWH building in Natonin, Mt. Province, NDRRMC said  they received a report which says 29 individuals – mostly workers– are still trapped.

Posadas added the status of the two retrieved bodies is being verified.

“We got this report from Office of Civil Defense CAR ( Cordillera Administrative Region). For Natonin, instead of 31, 29 are trapped inside the DPWH building. These are of course laborers, engineers, security guards at those seeking shelter.   Again, this is still for verification,” he explained.

"Rosita" weakened into a tropical storm as it left the Philippine Area of Responsibility Wednesday afternoon. At 4 p, it was estimated at 325 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The storm, which had winds of 85 kilometers near the center and gusts of up to 105 kph, was moving west-northwest at 15 kilometers per hour. Eloisa Baclig/ DMS