NDRRMC: Death toll from Typhoon Lawin rises to 3

The death toll from Typhoon Lawin (Jelawat) rose to three, with the latest fatality a 62-year-old man from Zamboanga del Norte, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Friday. In its 6 a.m. update, the NDRRMC identified the latest fatality as Roberto Fontanilla, a resident of Zamboanga del Norte province. Fontanilla died of a "flood-induced" heart attack, the NDRRMC said. Floods had affected many parts of Zamboanga del Norte earlier this week. Earlier reported killed were Jessie Sam, 31, of Bogo City in Cebu (lightning strike); and Mark Anthony Mallari, 5, of Barangay Labuan in Zamboanga City (hit by falling tree). Still missing is Samsudin Moccadam, 27, of Sirawai in Zamboanga del Norte. The NDRRMC said that as of 11 a.m. Thursday, Mompong Bridge along West Coast Road in Barangay Tuban in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro remained impassable due to a scoured construction detour road. At least 16 passengers remained stranded as of noon Thursday. The NDRRMC also said Lawin has so far affected 3,096 families or 7,743 people in 43 villages in Southern Luzon and Zamboanga region. It added 77 houses were destroyed and 155 more were damaged. Lawin remained a threat to Northern Luzon as of Friday morning, although PAGASA said it is now moving north and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday afternoon. — LBG, GMA News