Several fishermen still reported missing
TACLOBAN CITY-The number of deaths due to the massive rains in Eastern Visayas has risen to five with the discovery of a lifeless body of a fisherman from Laoang town, Northern Samar on Tuesday (Dec. 27) afternoon.
Report from the regional office of the Philippine National Police (PNP) based in Palo town, Leyte, said that the dead body of Melchor Villocero, 41, was found in the waters of Barangay Old Rizal in Catarman town.
The wife of the fisherman was the one who was able to identify him through the tattoo on his left hand.
The fatalities from the region due to the incessant rains brought by the shear line that continues to affect the region for days now has now reached to five.
Of this number, three were from Northern Samar and two from Southern Leyte.
As to the number of missing persons, the regional PNP headquarters reported of seven fishermen.
These missing fishermen are from the towns of Palapag (2) and one San Roque, all in Northern Samar; two from Sulat and one from Quinapondan towns, both in Eastern Samar; and one from San Francisco, Southern Leyte.
However, the municipality of Dolores, Eastern Samar reported of three fishermen still missing. They are Jerome Carrion, Rico Bula and Mario Abobo, all from Brgy. Tikling.
The three were last seen on Dec.22 and since then, have yet to return home.
Also, another fisherman from San Vicente, Northern Samar, only identified through his family name of Cabindoy was found drifting in the waters of sitio Malpal, Brgy. San Luis, Capul town, also in the same province, last Dec. 27 at about 2 am.
Meantime, the town of Llorente in Eastern Samar has declared a state of calamity on Dec.25 due to the massive flooding it experienced due to the shear line.
Its disaster risk reduction management office said that all of the town’s 33 barangays populated by more than 21,400 people were hit by the flooding which caused some destruction of houses and farm products.
It, however, did not provide details on the damages. With the declaration, the town could now use its calamity fund to buy essentials like food items.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the region reported that the damage to palay and other agricultural products has reached as of Wednesday (Dec.28) to P2.82 million from the town of Jipapad, Eastern Samar alone.
About 11,562 families or 40, 773 persons from the various towns of Eastern Samar were also affected by the massive flooding.
JOEY A. GABIETA
