In an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source in the morning, Mayor Jose Carlos Cari said authorities had retrieved 47 bodies. He said teams were conducting retrieval operations in some villages, while search and rescue operations are still ongoing in other areas like Barangay Kantagnos, which recorded at least two landslides in a span of hours.
In an update Wednesday afternoon, Cari said the death toll in Baybay has climbed to 62, with some of the bodies dug out from mudslides while others were washed out to the shoreline
There was no immediate update on the number of people still missing. A report by local authorities at 9:35 a.m. said 27 were missing and 105 injured.
The city has been placed under under a state of calamity, with many areas beneath a blanket of debris following a series of landslides. The mayor said in Barangay Kantagnos, over 90% of houses are covered by mud.
“‘Yung sa Barangay Kantagnos, early morning may maliit na landslide, nag-grumble daw ang lupa, according to the barangay captain. Nagbigay ng warning sa kanila. Lumabas, nagsilikas,” Cari said. “Pero sumunod daw ‘yung malaking landslide kaya ‘yung iba naabutan. Marami ring nakatakbo pero meron ring naabutan dito sa Barangay Kantagnos.”
[Translation: A landslide happened in Barangay Kantagnos early morning. The ground grumbled, according to the barangay captain. Residents were warned and some managed to evacuate, but another landslide happened that’s why some were trapped. Some fled while others were not spared.]
He added that even some barangay officials who were assisting the evacuees were not spared from the falling mud and debris during the wrath of the storm.
“Kahapon nagpalipad kami ng mga drone doon para malaman. Para ang mga tao, kung marinig ang drone, makakaway, malaman kung may naghihintay,” Cari said. “Ngayon lang kasi talaga tumigil ang ulan kaya ngayon makakapasok ang responders natin, makita rin nila.”
[Translation: Yesterday we flew drones to search for survivors and rescue them. Now that the rain has stopped, our responders can fully enter the vicinity.]
Cari said the city’s evacuation centers are currently sheltering over 1,200 residents, with no home to return to for the rest of the Holy Week.
“It would take weeks na ma-restore ‘yung water system. Lalo ngayong baha pa rin kaya di pa nila masyadong magawa….lalong di na sila makakabalik sa kanilang barangay, expected na magtatagal sila,” he added. “Ginagawan ng paraan ‘yung mga kitchen, palikuran, at support areas para sa evacuees natin.”
[Translation: It would take weeks before our water system can be restored because many areas here are still flooded. It would take a while for our evacuees to return to their homes. But we are already preparing kitchens, restrooms, and support areas for them.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 13) — Fatalities from the landslides in Baybay, Leyte due to Tropical Depression Agaton have risen to 62 as of Wednesday afternoon, the city’s mayor said.
