5 dead in Banaue slide, 6 missing; roads closed

Bamboos fall on Atok house; farmer killed  

BANAUE, Ifugao -- Five persons were confirmed dead due to Typhoon Ulysses Thursday in Cordillera as the regional Dept. of Public Works and Highways reported five roads in three provinces were closed to traffic as of press time even as crewmen were working to clear and open these to traffic.
    In Banaue, five persons were found dead while six were missing when landslide hit and wiped out a concrete bunkhouse in Sumigar, Viewpoint in the tourist town on Thursday, Nov. 12.
    Among those missing were two engineers of the Ifugao 2nd District Engineering Office and their crew
    One survivor was in stable condition.
    Among those missing were two engineers of the Ifugao 2nd District Engineering Office – John Limmo and Julius Gulayan – and their maintenance crew.
    The others were either residents or passersby who sought shelter inside the concrete bunkhouse hit by the landslide.
Albert Mogol, Office of Civil Defense Cordillera regional director, said on Friday, Nov. 13, the Dept. of Public Works and Highways was conducting clearing operation of a minor landslide in Sitio Nabito, Barangay Viewpoint in Banaue when it started to rain.
    They sought shelter in the concrete bunkhouse of a contractor in the area.
    Six other people also took refuge in the bunkhouse to wait out the rain.
    Mogol said at about 5 p.m. Thursday, a bigger landslide occurred and wiped out the bunkhouse.
    The survivor said six others were missing.
    The bodies were retrieved Friday by rescuers composed of town police, 54^th Infantry Battalion personnel and local folks.
    Other reports said 12 persons were in the bunkhouse it got hit by landslide.
    They included a father and his child, six workers of the DPWH, three others and a driver of a heavy equipment firm.
    The names of other casualties were not known at press time except for one named Jose Piog, 71 of Barangay Bocos. 
According to his relative, he also sought shelter in the house.
    Rescuers were still searching for the other victims at press time.
    Meanwhile, Ifugao emergency responders rescued nine people in Sitio Bulao, Lamut, while four others were also rescued     in Sitio Pugo, Barangay San Juan in Alfonso Lista town, following heavy rains brought by Typhoon Ulysses.
    The OCD said they recorded 39 road sections all over the region which were closed to traffic while 38 only had one lane passable. 
    At the height of the storm Thursday, a farmer was also killed  
when strong winds broke several bamboos making these fall on his house in Talete, Busok, Poblacion Atok, Benguet dawn Thursday.
    The victim was identified as Felix Menis. Boguite, 60, single.
    Police Capt. Jayson Eugenio, Atok police chief said he was informed of the incident by Oliver Boguite, a relative of the victim.
    According to Boguite, the victim was cooking food when he was hit by bamboos.
    Rescuers said the victim was hit on several parts of his body particularly his head.
    Meanwhile, transformers conked out in Baguio also on Thursday due to fallen poles rendering the city and parts of Benguet without power early noon Thursday.
    Electricity was restored in the evening.
    A total of 41 power interruptions were recorded in the region as the typhoon raged.
    Mountain Province had no electricity since Wednesday to Friday. 
    In four of these areas, power had been restored as of press time.
    In a road advisory Thursday, the regional DPWH said Kennon road that connects Rosario, La Union to Baguio City remained closed to vehicular traffic, and was only accessible for residents in the area.
    The public was advised to take alternate roads like Marcos Highway, Naguilian Road, and the Asin-San Pascual Road.
    In Mountain Province, the provincial DRRRM office said the Gotong Bridge at Busa, Sabangan town was closed due to a landslide Thursday afternoon.
    Motorists were advised to take the alternate Bont5oc-Baguio Road via Abatan, Bauko until further notice.
    The DPWH-Advisory also said the Tabuk-Banawe via Tanudan-Barlig road in Barangay Matteled Dupligan in Tanudan town, Kalinga province was also closed to traffic due to a damaged concrete cement pavement and gutter, and another section along the stretch due to a sunken pavement.
    The Cudal-Gombuwoy provincial road has been designated as the alternate road.
    The road section at Barangay Dibagat in Kabugao town, Apayao province was also closed to traffic since Monday afternoon, and still being cleared of debris due to a landslide.
    The Conner-Kabugao road at Lutuacan, Kabugao was still closed due to mudslide.
    Clearing operations resumed in areas considered safe for clearing.
    The Claveria-Calanasan-Kabugao road was also closed due to a series of mudflow, and soil collapse in Namaltugan and Dallawas sections in Calanasan town.
    Meanwhile, Mogul reported a total of 187 families with 612 persons were affected in seven barangays due to the tail-end of a cold front enhanced by Typhoon Ulysses.
    There were a total of 11 families composed of 47 persons staying in the evacuation area in Calanasan.
    Most families reportedly opted to stay with relatives instead of going to the evacuation centers.
    Some 173 families comprised of 559 individuals stayed outside evacuation centers.