Basyang leaves 6 dead, 5 missing

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Basyang (international codename Kajiki) left 6 people dead and 5 others missing in its wake, government tallies released Monday, February 3, said.

The weather disturbance, the second to hit the country in 2014, left 6 people dead: 5 in Cebu and one in Southern Leyte, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its latest situation report.

Three victims drowned due to flooding caused by the storm; two were electrocuted; and one was buried in a landslide, the NDRRMC said.

One woman was injured in Talisay City, Cebu, when a fence made out of galvanized tin sheets collapsed on her.

Five others remain missing in Cebu: Four Filipinos and one Korean who are missing after a motor banca they were riding sank at sea between Danao City and Camotes Island.

All in all, a total of 42,987 people (9,328 families) across the Visayas and the Caraga region were affected by Basyang. Out of this number, 5,646 people (1,130 families) were displaced and are currently in 32 evacuation centers.

Basyang was a tropical depression that entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility Thursday, January 30, which then intensified into a tropical storm on Friday, January 31.

It made landfall Friday over Siargao Island, and crossed the Visayas towards the area of northern Palawan, where it weakened before becoming a low pressure area over the West Philippine Sea late Saturday, February 1.

The storm brought heavy rain to areas still reeling from the effects of both Tropical Depression Agaton from earlier in January, and Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) from November.

For Basyang, the NDRRMC received reports of 13 landslide incidents; four flooding incidents; and two sea accidents.

All ports across the affected regions have resumed operations as of Sunday midnight, February 2. – Rappler.com