Typhoon 'Reming' moves out of RP; 55 killed in Albay

The death toll in the massive mudslide at Albay province has swelled to 55 even as typhoon Reming (international codename: Durian) continued to make its way out of the Philippine area of responsibility. A mudslide swept down on the village of Padang the foot of the Mayon Volcano, and at least 20 bodies were recovered, Noel Rosal, mayor of Legazpi City, capital of badly hit Albay province, said Friday. Elsewhere in Albay, 26 people were killed in Santo Domingo and 13 were missing, while another nine deaths were reported in the town of Daraga, said Jukes Nunez of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council. Rosal said about 30 people were injured by boulders and roofing materials in Padang and taken to hospitals. GMA News' Flash Report quoted Albay Gov. Fernando Gonzales as saying that the incident has affected some 10,000 residents in Legaspi City and the towns of Daraga and Sto. Domingo. Some 5,000 people have been evacuated in these areas. Five villages in Daraga now coping with the calamity, including Busay, Binitayan, Cullat and Cagsawa. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that his office has received reports of 20 unconfirmed deaths in Daraga. Typhoon Reming (international codename: Durian) started to make its way out of Philippine territory and is expected to hover over the South China Sea by Saturday, state weather forecasters said. In its 11 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Reming was moving westward and had crossed the northern coast of Mindoro. Reming was last spotted 50 kms southwest of Lubang Island or 160 kms southwest of Metro Manila. It packed maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, and was moving west at 15 kph. By Saturday morning, it was expected to be 460 kms west southwest of Metro Manila or over the South China Sea; and 750 kms west southwest of Metro Manila by Sunday morning. However, Storm Signal 3 remained over Occidental Mindoro and Lubang Island, while Signal 2 was up over Calamian group of islands, Oriental Mindoro, Batangas and Cavite. Signal 1 was up over Laguna, Bataan, Southern Zambales, and Metro Manila. - with a report from AP, GMANews.TV