12 including kids killed as typhoon 'Frank' sweeps through RP

MANILA, Philippines - At least 12 people, three of them children, were killed, while 20 others were missing in separate areas in Mindanao due to flashfloods and landslides caused by typhoon "Frank" (international codename: Fengshen). The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council in Central Mindanao reported on Saturday that 10 people died and 20 others went missing when raging waters swept towns in the provinces of Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and North Cotabato since Friday night. In Cotabato City, at least two people were killed when a landslide occurred at a dumpsite in Cotabato City, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). NDCC spokesman Anthony Golez Jr on Saturday said the council received sketchy report about the incident. "Sa Cotabato City may isolated incident, nagkaroon ng landslides sa dumpsite, trash slide. Dalawa ang nasawi diyan (In Cotabato City there was an isolated incident involving a landslide at a dumpsite. Two were killed in that incident)," he said on government-run dzRB radio, when asked about casualties caused by typhoon "Frank." In Iloilo, floods inundated a large portion of residential areas, while thousands reportedly fled their homes in the towns of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Saturday morning said "Frank" was located at 70 km south of Masbate or 60 km northeast of Roxas City, Capiz. Pagasa's 5 a.m. advisory said "Frank" packed maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph. It was moving west-northwest at 15 kph and was expected to be 70 km west of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, Sunday morning. By Monday morning it is expected to be 200 kms west-northwest of Iba, Zambales. Hanging on to trees Radio reports said about 70 percent of Iloilo province's population, especially those living in coastal communities, were affected by the typhoon, which reportedly damaged dams, and made roads and bridges impassable. Many residents were seen hanging on to trees and staying on rooftops. Some residents were already evacuated even as rescue groups gathered at the provincial capitol to prepare rescue operations. In Mindanao, hundreds of passengers bound for Cotabato City in Shariff Kabungsuan and Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat were stranded when floods hit the area after a heavy downpour that started Friday night. Reports from the Cotabato City-based Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) said flashfloods hit the towns of Talayan, Shariff Aguak, Ampatuan, and other low-lying towns in Maguindanao and the towns of Isulan and Esperanza and Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat. These areas were inundated after the Ala River, one of the largest rivers in central Mindanao, overflowed, the RDCC reported. As of posting time, the RDCC has yet to verify reports that two children were believed to have died after they were carried by rushing water Friday night. “We’re still verifying the names of these children," an RDCC staff said. The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is readying a relief plan after thousands of residents from low-lying areas affected by flashfloods left their homes. Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers from the cities of General Santos and Koronadal were stranded in Isulan, capital town of Sultan Kudarat, since Saturday morning after disaster workers prevented buses and other vehicles to proceed to Cotabato City. Agriculture officials in the region confirmed reports that flashfloods destroyed vast hectares of rice fields in Sultan Kudarat, particularly in the towns of Esperanza, Tacurong, and Isulan, but they have yet to determine the extent of the damage. These towns are considered the province’s biggest rice producers. Storm signal Areas placed under storm Signal No. 3 are Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Masbate, Burias Island and Calamian Group of Islands in Luzon; Aklan, Northern Antique, Capiz, and Northern Iloilo in Visayas. Signal No. 2 was hoisted over Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Southern Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Palawan and Cuyo Island in Luzon; Samar provinces, Biliran Island, Leyte, rest of Antique, rest of Iloilo, Northern Negros Occidental and Northern Cebu in Visayas. Under Signal No. 1 are the rest of Palawan, Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, rest of Quezon, Polillo Island, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes and Metro Manila in Luzon; the rest of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, the rest of Cebu, Bohol and Southern Leyte in Visayas; and Dinagat Island in Mindanao. Pagasa advised residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes to take all the necessary precautions against possible flash floods and landslides. It also advised residents near coastal areas placed under storm signals 2 and 3 against big waves or storm surges. Pagasa said Southern Luzon and Western, Eastern and Central Visayas will experience stormy weather. The rest of Visayas and Central Luzon will have rains and gusty winds and the coastal waters in these areas will be moderate to rough. Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over Mindanao with moderate to rough seas becoming light to moderate winds from the northeast to northwest over the rest of Luzon with slight to moderate seas except during thunderstorms. - GMANews.TV, with reports from Malu Manar