34 dead in Palawan’s Mangsee Island due to Vinta – reports

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – At least 34 people are confirmed dead in Mangsee Island in Palawan due to severe tropical storm Vinta, while at least 59 others are missing, reports said Saturday, December 30.

Out of the 34 dead, 13 have been identified by local authorities, according to the Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

A majority of the fatalities and the missing people are fishermen, GMA News reported, quoting the office. (READ: 71 fishermen rescued, 2 dead in Tawi-Tawi due to Vinta)

The provincial disaster office said that 165 people have been rescued in the area.

Meanwhile, the office expects the number of missing people in the area could rise, as more reports come in. Around 160 families have been evacuated from Mangsee Island to Balabac, Palawan.

Social workers have been deployed to the island to conduct stress debriefing and counseling to affected residents, ABS-CBN News reported.

A total of 1,519 homes were also damaged by the storm, which passed through the area earlier this week.

Vinta made landfall twice as a severe tropical storm in Cateel, Davao Oriental early Friday, December 22, then in Balabac, Palawan late Saturday, December 23. (READ: #ReliefPH: Help victims of Vinta)

The storm left more than 200 people dead, causing fatalities in Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and the Zamboanga peninsula due to flashfloods and landslides.

Vinta struck right after Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-tak), which battered Eastern Visayas. Urduja left more than 50 people dead and around P1 billion in agricultural damage.

Vinta left the Philippine Area of Responsibility late Sunday morning, December 24. – Rappler.com