Saturday, August 8, 2009
MANILA (Updated) -- At least eight miners were killed in landslides caused by days of heavy monsoon rains in northern Philippines, bringing the total number of dead from Typhoon “Kiko” to 19.
Baguio police chief Nestor Bergonia said about two dozen miners were taking shelter in hillside huts when they were buried by a landslide Friday. He says two bodies were recovered Friday and another six on Saturday.
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Bergonia said another six are missing.
Landslides and flashfloods that deluged towns and villages in northern Philippines have killed 11 other people in recent days, including three French tourists who were touring Mount Pinatubo.
The victims were traveling on Mount Pinatubo on Thursday when a landslide blocked their path, trapping one of their cars.
Tarlac provincial Governor Victor Yap said the three French nationals -- a woman and two men -- were traveling along with South Koreans. They were swept away in a flashflood that also killed their two Filipino guides.
The five bodies were recovered separately Friday, said Fely Baun of the disaster coordinating council of Capas town in Tarlac.
Six French nationals -- three men, including one with a fractured shoulder, and three women -- survived in the landslide. They were taken to the Central Luzon Doctors' Hospital in Tarlac City and were to be brought to Manila later in the day, a hospital staffer said.
"They said the water suddenly rose and they were swept away by strong currents," Yap said.
French Embassy Consul Arnold Rayar said he has spoken with the survivors, but he declined to give details.
Homeless
Heavy rains brought about by Typhoon "Kiko" also left more than 1,000 residents of Botolan town in Zambales province, west of Manila in the foothills of Mount Pinatubo, homeless.
The affected residents were sheltered overnight at a school after days of pounding rain caused a 21-yard (20-meter) breach in the Pinatubo dike, sending the floodwaters as high as roofs, said regional police chief Leo Nilo dela Cruz.
A local tribal chief, Carling Dumulot, estimated that some 12,000 had evacuated their homes and said loosened trees carried by water and mud were slamming against houses and hindering evacuation efforts in Botolan's 10 villages.
Three villages were under water, he said.
"There are many residents who spent the night shivering on the rooftops," said dela Cruz.
As of Friday, Botolan Mayor Roger Yap said the main road along national highway is not passable due to the strong current coming from the breached portion of the dike along Bucao River, leaving motorists bound for Zambales to Manila and vice versa stranded.
"Many residents still cling onto trees, some on rooftops waiting for rescue. They cannot go down because of the strong current," Yap said.
An air force helicopter plucked trapped people from trees and rooftops.
At least two died in Botolan and surrounding areas, Zambales Governor Amor Deloso said. The government closed all schools in the province and declared a state of emergency.
"Virtually all areas in the province had experienced flooding," he said.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo mobilized Friday the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to assist the flood victims in Zambales, in coordination with the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).
More victims
In Tarlac province, on Pinatubo's northeastern side, police chief Rudu Lacadin said authorities recovered another two bodies.
Landslides in the northern Cordillera mountains killed three siblings aged 7 to 13 in Baguio City, said regional disaster agency chief Olive Luces. Their parents escaped, he said.
On Friday, a landslide crashed onto huts where 14 miners were resting at the foot of a mountain near Baguio. Nine were pulled out alive but five remained missing, including one swept away by waters from a flooded creek, said Army Captain Christian Uy, who was helping in the rescue.
Olive Luces, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Baguio City, said rescue operations are ongoing in other affected barangays while the victims of the landslide are being retrieved.
The OCD also confirmed the closure of Kennon road and occurrence of minor landslides along Marcos and Quirino Highways, prompting authorities to caution all motorists to be extra careful.
Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan suspended classes in all levels, while Baguio City Mayor Reynaldo Bautista Jr. suspended only classes in the elementary and high school level.
Suspension of classes
In Valenzuela City, at least 15 public and private elementary and high schools also suspended their classes Friday due to heavy rains.
The suspension was made even as the Department of Education-National Capital Region (DepEd-NCR) said that classes in other parts of Metro Manila will go on as scheduled.
DepEd-NCR Director Teresita Domalanta said the suspension of classes in Valenzuela was ordered by the local government.
Local officials, she added, have the prerogatives to cancel classes in their respective localities if they see fit, especially during bad weather conditions.
"Even if the weather bureau (Pagasa) has not raised any public storm signal, it is still the discretion of local officials, of the mayor to suspend classes," Domalanta explained.
But she also said DepEd decided not to suspend classes in other parts of the metropolis as Metro Manila is not under any typhoon signal though they are in constant coordination with the weather bureau and local officials.
The schools in Valenzuela City where classes are suspended were located in barangays Balangkas, Poblacion, Palasan, Arkong Bato, Isla, Tagalog, Pasolo, Paloong, Rincon, Polo, Malanday, and Wawang Pulo.
The local government of Valenzuela earlier reported that rains brought about by Typhoon Kiko has made some roads in the city not passable to light vehicles due to floodwaters that reached some 12 to 23 inches deep.
Flooding was also reported in some areas in nearby Malabon City though the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said floodwaters are fast receding.
On Thursday, DepEd suspended classes in Manila, Caloocan, Pasay, Valenzuela, Taguig-Pateros and Malabon-Navotas due to the continuous downpour.
Also on Thursday, six Chinese tourists from Hong Kong and four Filipino crewmen were rescued after their boat capsized because of big waves off Verde Island south of Manila, said coast guard spokesman Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo.
As of Friday, Typhoon Kiko has intensified further as it continues to move toward Taiwan as another low pressure area (LPA) has been spotted 1,670 kilometers east of Northern Luzon.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the howler is now with maximum winds of 150 kilometer per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.
The weather bureau advised residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes to take all the necessary precautionary measures against possible flashfloods and landslides.
Monsoon rains have saturated the mountainous northern Philippines, the central Visayas islands and the southern Mindanao region since last month.
Millions of tons of volcanic debris on the slopes of Mount Pinatubo from its eruption in 1991 pose a constant danger during heavy rains. (AH/AP/PNA/Sunnex)
A  has killed dozens of people, affected over 28,000 people in the Philippines, and caused the evacuation of 21,190 people from south east China.
Track map of Tropical Storm Morakat (Kiko) of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season.
Some villages are inundated with five feet high floods.
The Philippines were hit by 175 kilometers per hour (kph) winds with gusts of up to 210 kph, as well as heavy rain which triggered flooding and landslides.

Ten Philippine villages have been inundated by four and five feet deep flooding.  Thousands cling to tree tops and are stranded on roof tops awaiting rescue by helicopter.  Over 12,000 have been evacuated and over 1,000 are homeless.  

Landslides have trapped Korean and Canadian mountaineers whose guide could not be rescued.  Landslides have closed highways and have caused traffic jams ten kilometers long.  Three French tourists and their two Filipino guides have been killed due to landslides on Mount Pinatubo.  Five miners remain missing after a landslide destroyed their living quarters.  
Typhoon Morakot (Kiko) over Taiwan August 7, 2009.
Electricity is down in some areas of the Philippines resulting in a collapse in contact as radios and cellphones have not been re-charged.

Botolan town hit by a flash flood has been declared as in a state of calamity.  

School classes have been cancelled in various locations across the Philippines, and many city roads are not traversable due to flood waters.

The  (NDCC) has reported that over 28,629 people have been affected and of these 10% have been evacuated.

On August 8, the typhoon is diminishing but still recording 150 kph winds with gusts reaching 185 kph according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

A capsized fishing boat off the coast of the province of  has initiated search and rescue efforts for nine missing fishermen.  School classes have been suspended, boats called into port, and businesses closed in China's  Province.  The provincial government used cell phone text messages to contact 8.4 million warning its residents of Morakot's approach to mainland China.

Typhoons occur in the  every year between May and September.