1 dead in Northern Samar after landslide –PDRRMC

Tacloban City (CNN Philippines, November 22)— A landslide in Pambujan town, Northern Samar triggered by heavy rains killed one person on Tuesday, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDDRMO) said.

The Pambujan municipal police station said the victim died after being hit by a fallen tree due to the landslide that happened on Tuesday past noon.

Eleven villages in the municipality reported flooding affecting 1,506 families or 2,765 individuals.

The local government of Northern Samar placed the whole province under a state of calamity on Tuesday following incessant rains that resulted in flooding and damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

Classes are still suspended in public and private schools in the entire province.

Work days were also suspended except for banks, financial institutions, health, and food related establishments.

Governor Edwin Ongchuan expressed his gratitude to personnel of agencies who helped in the rescue operation during the widespread flooding such as in Catarman town, the capital of Northern Samar province.

«As a community, we are profoundly grateful to the Search, Rescue and Retrieval Cluster, along with the dedicated individuals and organizations supporting the rescue operations,» the governor said.

He also thanked volunteers who assisted evacuees in various evacuation centers in areas affected by the flooding.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways reported that there are still roads that are impassable as of Wednesday due to landslides.

These roads were along Catarman-Calbayog sections particularly in Lope de Vega and Catarman towns.

In a separate statement on Wednesday, the state weather bureau warned of possible flash floods or landslides in the Visayas, Mindanao, and some parts of Luzon due to heavy rains.

READ:PAGASA warns flash floods, landslides still possible in several areas

Tacloban-based journalist Wil Mark Amazona contributed to this report.