

Fifty-six people have been killed in landslides and floods in the eastern Philippines and 11 are still missing.

Fifty of the victims were killed in five provinces in the eastern region of Bicol, which bore the brunt of heavy rains brought by a tropical depression, authorities say.

Most victims died in landslides, including a family of three asleep when their house was buried in Legazpi City, 336 kilometres southeast of Manila, police said on Sunday.

Six people were drowned or were buried in landslides in the two provinces in the Eastern Visayas region, police said.

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More than 22,000 people have been displaced in six provinces.

A tropical depression weakened into a low pressure area after making landfall over the province of Eastern Smar on Saturday, and brought in heavy rains in the days before.</s>The storm struck the Philippines shortly after Christmas, with the number of fatalities expected to rise

This article is more than 8 months old

This article is more than 8 months old

The death toll from a storm that struck the Philippines shortly after Christmas rose to 68 with the number of fatalities expected to climb even higher, civil defence officials said Monday.

Fifty-seven people died in the mountainous Bicol region, southeast of Manila, while 11 were killed in the central island of Samar, mostly due to landslides and drownings, the officials said.

“I am afraid this [death toll] will still go up because there are a lot of areas we still have to clear,” said Claudio Yucot, Bicol civil defence director.

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The weather disturbance locally named Usman hit the country on Saturday. While it did not have powerful winds it brought heavy rains that caused floods and loosened the soil, triggering landslides in some areas.

Many people failed to take necessary precautions because Usman was not strong enough to be rated as a typhoon under the government’s storm alert system, Yucot said.

“People were overconfident because they were on [Christmas] vacation mode and there was no tropical cyclone warning,” he told AFP.

Although Usman has since moved westward away from the country, many affected areas were still experiencing seasonal rains, hampering rescue and recovery efforts, he added.

At least 17 people are still missing and more than 40,000 were displaced nationwide due to the storm, the civil defence office said.

An average of 20 typhoons and storms lash the Philippines each year, killing hundreds of people and leaving millions in near-perpetual poverty.

The most powerful was Super Typhoon Haiyan which left more than 7,360 people dead or missing across the central Philippines in 2013.</s>Manila - At least 22 people have died due to landslides and flooding triggered by a tropical cyclone that brought heavy rains to the central Philippines, a disaster agency official said on Sunday. The people, including a three-year-old boy, were reported dead as of Sunday morning, said disaster agency spokesman Edgar Posadas, after a tropical cyclone barrelled through the eastern Visayas and Bicol regions on Saturday.

"The wind was not strong but it caused flooding and landslides," Posadas said.

The number of casualties could rise as rescue and retrieval operations continue. Local media have reported dozens missing or trapped by the landslides.

A regional office of the disaster agency said it was working to confirm the deaths of 38 people in the Bicol region, located south of the main island of Luzon.

Thousands of passengers were stranded at seaports, airports and bus terminals as dozens of inter-island trips were cancelled.

The tropical depression, which has since been downgraded to a low pressure area, left the Philippines on Sunday afternoon.

About 20 tropical cyclones hit the Philippines every year.</s>The number of deaths continues to rise as search and retrieval operations are underway

MANILA, Philippines – The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) raised to 75 as of Tuesday, January 1, the number of fatalities of Tropical Depression Usman though it said they were still validating the deaths reported.

NDRRMC Spokesperson Edgar Posadas said majority of the casualties were from the Bicol region which was hit badly by landslides.

"The numbers when it comes to the reported deaths, these are still for verification and confirmation and therefore they are still unofficial as we are starting to get reports from the different regions," he said in an interview with ANC.

He added there were also 16 people reported missing as of Tuesday.

Data from NDRRMC showed the reported deaths come from Bicol region at 59, Eastern Visayas at 13, and 3 from other regions.

As search and rescue operations continued, officials retrieved more bodies from areas in Albay and Camarines Sur, which were hit badly by landslides.

The number of affected individuals also increased as there were 45,438 families or 191,597 persons affected as of Tuesday. The residents come from 457 barangays in Bicol region, Eastern Visayan, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa.

Posadas said the NDRRMC recorded a total of 69 houses damaged so far.

According to data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Usman, which later became a low pressure area, dumped large volumes of rainfall in parts of Luzon and the Visayas in just two days. (READ: How much rain did Tropical Depression Usman bring?)

Daet, Camarines Norte; Legazpi City, Albay; and Catarman, Northern Samar, had the most rain from Friday, December 28, to Saturday, December 29.

Heavy rains prompted local officials to declare a state of calamity in Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.

Usman left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday, December 30. – with reports from Sofia Tomacruz/Rappler.com</s>People affected by Tropical Depression Usman need your help and support. This page shows how you can help.

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Usman, which made landfall on Saturday, December 29, and weakened into a low pressure area, triggered flash floods and landslides in different parts of Luzon and Visayas.

Authorities reported on Monday, December 31, that the death toll from Usman rose to 68. Of this number, 57 people died in the Bicol Region, while 11 died in Samar, mostly due to landslides and drownings.

The Camarines Sur Chapter of the Philippine Red Cross is accepting donations in cash and in kind. You may bring or send donation to the Philippine Red Cross-Camarines Sur Chapter beside ABS-CBN, Panganiban Drive, Naga City.

Look for Ms. Mygan Valenzuela or Mr. Kristofer Lancel Gevero.

The group is accepting water, ready-to-eat food, blankets, tarpaulins, and other relief items. You may contact TAYO at 0927-665-4715 and drop your pledges at:

Cash donations may also be made through bank deposit via the following details:

The Caritas-Caceres (Social Action Commission) in Camarines Sur is accepting cash and in-kind donations to help families in need of food, clothes, blankets, and mats. You may drop them off at the Caritas-Caceres Development Center Zone 1, Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur.

For coordination, you may contact Fr. Marc DP. Real via mobile +639772646884. – Rappler.com</s>Most of the fatalities are in Albay, which was hit by landslides

MANILA, Philippines – Landslides and heavy rain triggered by Tropical Depresson Usman killed at least 35 people in the Bicol region as of Sunday, December 30, with majority of casualties coming from the two landslides which occurred in Albay.

Below is the breakdown of the number of deaths according to the Philippine National Police (PNP):

The PNP said 15 people remained missing in Albay, all of whom were being searched.

The National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council warned Albay residents Saturday of possible flooding and landslide. (LOOK: Heavy rain due to Usman floods Libon town)

According to PNP Bicol spokesperson Maria Calubaquib, a landslide occurred at about 9 pm on Saturday, December 29, in Barangay Sugod, Tiwi, Albay. Nine people died there.

Residents said a barangay kagawad in Sugod went around to tell residents to evacuate before dark fell. However, because a landslide had never happened in the area before, some residents did not heed the advice, the residents said.

Calubaquib said search and rescue operations were ongoing.

Meanwhile, an earlier landslide late Friday night, December 28 also occurred in Barangay San Fernando, Legazpi City. It left 3 people dead.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) the low pressure area (LPA) which used to be Tropical Depression Usman and the tail-end of a cold front are still bringing rain on Sunday.

PAGASA advised all areas affected by the LPA and the tail-end of a cold front to stay on alert for flash floods and landslides.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development likewise remained on standby for response to residents affected by Usman. – with reports from Rambo Talabong, Sofia Tomacruz, Rhadyz Barcia, and Mavic Conde/Rappler.com</s>As search and retrieval operations continue, the number of deaths continues to rise

MANILA, Philippines – The number of people killed by Tropical Depression Usman rose to 61 on Sunday night, December 30, following massive landslides and floods triggered by heavy rain.

As of 8 pm on December 30, there were also 18 people recorded missing and 12 others who injured from the same regions.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the casualties come from Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas. They were also still validating reports.

Landslides had occurred in Albay on Saturday, December 29 and Friday, December 28, which left at least 12 dead as of Sunday.

Apart from this, landslides were also reported in Nato town, Camarines Sur. Ten bodies were recovered in the area.

In an updated report from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Disaster Response and Management Bureau (DRMB), 3,488 families or 13,469 persons were moved to 112 evacuation centers. The residents were from Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas.

Meanwhile, the DSWD report also said 189 families or 939 individuals decided to stay with relatives and friends but were still being served by the agency.

So far, about P395,144 worth of aid has been provided by the DSWD to local government units. Emergency telecommunication equipment is also on standby if needed, the DSWD said.

According to data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the low pressure area which used to be Tropical Depression Usman dumped large volumes of rainfall in parts of Luzon and the Visayas in just two days. (READ: How much rain did Tropical Depression Usman bring?)

Daet, Camarines Norte; Legazpi City, Albay; and Catarman, Northern Samar, had the most rain from Friday, December 28, to Saturday, December 29.

Heavy rains prompted local officials to declare a state of calamity in Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.

Usman left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday, but the northeast monsoon or amihan is still affecting Luzon. – with reports from Sofia Tomacruz/Rappler.com</s>Scores of people have been killed after a powerful storm swept through the Philippines over the weekend.

The tropical depression, locally named Usman, brought heavy rains on Saturday, causing catastrophic flooding and triggering deadly landslides, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management agency said Monday.

In its latest official update, the agency said the death toll had climbed to 75 with a further 12 people injured.

At least 16 others are still missing in the regions of Bicol and Eastern Visayas, officials said.

The storm affected nearly 190,000 people, officials said, with dozens of areas facing power outages as a result of infrastructure damage. As many as 69 houses were damaged, with 41 of those totally destroyed.

In the aftermath of Usman, several provinces declared a state of calamity, which allows authorities to access emergency funds and resources quickly, according to CNN Philippines.

Thousands of travelers were left stranded at airports, seaports and bus terminals after several domestic flights and ferry services were canceled, Reuters reported.

The national disaster agency said the weather system was “no longer affecting any part of the country” but forecast light rain for some areas.

Tropical weather systems often slam through the Philippines. Typhoon Mangkhut, the strongest typhoon of 2018, battered the southeast Asian country in September, packing winds of up to 270 kph (165 mph) and wreaking devastation across the northern Philippines.

More than 100 people were killed by Mangkhut before it barreled into Hong Kong and southern China.

The worst storm to hit the Philippines in a generation occurred in 2013, when Super Typhoon Yolanda killed more than 6,000 people and displaced nearly 4 million others.</s>However, sons had no increased risk of depression.

It is unclear why girls may be affected at this age by paternal postnatal depression, but the researchers suggested that depression in either parent can disrupt family life and cause higher levels of stress for the whole family, as well as affecting the way in which parents interact with their children.

The specific aspects of a father-daughter relationship may explain why as girls go through adolescence, they have a higher risk of depression themselves if their fathers also suffered from depression.

Co-author Professor Paul Ramchandani said, "Research from this study of families in Bristol has already shown that fathers can experience depression in the postnatal period as well as mothers. What is new in this paper is that we were able to follow up the young people from birth through to the age of 18, when they were interviewed about their own experience of depression."

"We were also able to look at some of the ways in which depression in fathers might have affected children. It appears that depression in fathers is linked with an increased level of stress in the whole family, and that this might be one way in which offspring may be affected.

"Whilst many children will not be affected by parental depression in this way, the findings of this study highlight the importance of providing appropriate help to fathers, as well as mothers, who may experience depression."

The researchers also point out that almost one in 20 new fathers suffer depression in the weeks after their child is born.</s>Another tropical storm, this one called Usman has so far killed at least 22 people as it passed through several provinces. The storm has triggered floods and landslides forcing villagers to flee to safer areas. The death toll is expected to rise.

More than 6,600 people have been stranded in various locations, while Cebu Air and national carrier Philippine Airlines have cancelled many flights from December 27 to 29.

Authorities report that the storm has forced the evacuation of at least 17,000 people in the Bicol region in the southern areas of the main Luzon island. Three are reported dead in Albay province due to a landslide. Another seven more were killed in Masbate, most of them drowning. Six more deaths were reported from Sorsogon and Camarines Sur provinces.

Civil defence officials report at least 16 people are reported bead in Bicol while six others were killed in Eastern Visayas.

Government forecasters said Sunday that heavy rain would continue over the next 24 hours in the northern Philippines.

About 20 cyclones pass through disaster-prone Philippines each year.
At least 69 people are reported dead from flooding caused by Tropical Depression Usman in the Philippines.