25 dead, 28 missing, 105 injured in Baybay City, Leyte due to Agaton —Army

The Philippine Army on Tuesday said that 25 people were killed, 28 were missing, and 105 were injured in Baybay City, Leyte amid the onslaught of Tropical Depression Agaton.

In a statement, the Army said authorities recovered the cadavers from six barangays.

“They were able to retrieve 14 cadavers in Barangay Mailhi, five in Brgy. Kantagnos, two in Brgy. Maypatag, one in Brgy. Candadam, one  in Brgy. Pangasugan, one in Brgy. Bunga (and another one), with a total of 25 mortalities/casualties, 28 missing and 105 injured in Baybay City,” the Army said.

It added flooding and landslides occurred in barangays of Mailhi, Maypatag, Kan-ipa, Pangasugan, Bunga, and Kantagnos.

Colonel Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, said authorities continue to conduct search and rescue operations as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and supervising the SSR and HADR operations in coordination with CDRRMC of Baybay City as we race against time to rescue those who are hit by landslide, save lives, give hope and ease the sufferings of our fellowmen in the area,” he said.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, city information officer Marissa Miguel Cano said that landslides were reported in at least nine barangays including:

• Villa Solidaridad
• Kan-ipa
• Amguhan
• Punta
• Kantagnos
• Bunga
• Mailhi
• Bubon
• Gacat
• Gaas Section

Cano said the search and rescue operations were focused on Barangay Kan-ipa and Barangay Kantagnos because many missing people have yet to be retrieved in these areas.

In its 2 p.m. bulletin, state weather bureau PAGASA said Agaton’s center was located in the vicinity of Llorente, Eastern Samar (11.4°N, 125.5°E) as of 1 p.m.

It has a maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 75 km/h, and central pressure of 1004 hPa, PAGASA added.—AOL, GMA News