MANILA, Philippines — Two survivors of the powerful earthquake that jolted Negros Oriental last Monday were recovered from the wreckage of their house, government officials reported Friday.
Five more bodies were recovered Friday as rescue work resumed in spite of continuing aftershocks.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Benito Ramos reported Friday that the two survivors were found in Barangay Kagawas, a mountainside barangay in Guihulngan City.
Ramos said the two, who both suffered injuries, were pinned under their collapsed house.
They were discovered by their neighbors who brought them down the mountain.
Ramos said the survivors were airlifted to a hospital in Dumaguete City.
The five bodies were found in the landslide-hit barangays of La Libertad and Guihulngan.
Ramos described one of the retrieved in Barangay Planas, Guihulngan, as that of a "headless woman".
The death toll in Monday’s magnitude 6.9 quake stood at 39 Friday, with 66 people missing.
Ramos said the chance is slim more survivors will be found especially from the landslides in La Liberta and Guihulngan, but they are not giving up hope.
He listed underwear and sanitary napkins as among immediate needs of the quake victims, aside from food, drinking water, medicines, and mosquito nets.
NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the recovery of five more bodies- two in Barangay Solonggon in La Libertad town and three in Barangay Planas, Guihulngan City.
The NDRRMC placed the number of stricken families from 106 barangays in Guihulngan City, Bais City, and the towns of La Libertad, Jimalalud, Ayungon, Bindoy (Payabon), Manuyod Tayasan, and Villahermoso at 21,076, or 93,397 people.
A total of 6,572 families or 32,869 people are staying at 21 evacuation centers.
The quake also destroyed 1,411 houses and damaged 1,566.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it has recorded 1,422 aftershocks as of Friday.
Dr. Renato Solidum, Phivolcs director, 85 of the aftershocks were strong enough to be felt.
Helping in the search for survivors and bodies are a 49-member team deployed jointly by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA), Carmen Copper Corporation, Apex Mining Corporation, Philex Mining Corporation, Philippine Saga Mining Corporation, and Quarry Ventures Philippines Incorporated.
The PMSEA is an organization of mining companies, quarries, cement plants, suppliers, service contractors, professional organizations and government agencies that advocates a national campaign against occupational safety, health and environmental hazards of mining and its related operations.
Damage to roads and bridges in Negro Oriental has been extensive. But the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Friday that the damaged roads and bridges will be passable by the middle of next week.
DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said President Benigno S. Aquino III instructed them to immediately repair the road networks and public markets to restore commerce in Guihulngan and the towns of Jimalalud, Tayasa, and La Libertad.
Singson said in the meantime, Bailey bridges will be built and alternate routes will be set up. (Francis T. Wakefield, Phoebe Jen Indino, Jun Ramirez, Kris Bayos, and JC Bello Ruiz)
source: mb.com.ph
