Typhoon Cosme Slams Families in Central and Northern Luzon
Just when local efforts are being made to help the victims of the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China, our country gets its own natural disaster during the weekend when Typhoon Cosme (aka Halong) slammed the provinces of Zambales, Pangasinan, Benguet, La Union and Ilocos. Here’s a rundown of the aftermath:
- Thousands of families were left homeless. In Zambales, more than 500 families or about 3,000 people evacuated to public schools. 80% of the total houses in Sta Cruz (7,000 houses) were damaged and at least 23 houses in a resettlement site in Barangay Cawag in Subic were also destroyed. In Pangasinan, residents in Lingayen, Calasiao, Manaoag and San Carlos City had to evacuate. Along Kennon Road, at least 21 houses in Sitios Toll Gate, Kiangan, Mill Site, Power and Green Valley in Barangay Camp 6 were damaged by landslides. In the Visayas region, 1,000 families (or at least 5,000 people) were displaced by flooding and landslides in the central island of Panay. (Some of us have never really experienced being homeless and the closest thing in our minds about blown-down houses is from the tale of the Three Little Pigs.)
- At least seven people are dead and 2 children are still missing.
- Several roads were closed as landslides hit Baguio, Benguet, Ifugao and Mt. Province. (Many of the roads are used by vegetable growers in Northern Luzon to transport their produce to markets in Metro Manila and other provinces).
- Power supply and telephone lines were cut off in several areas on Saturday as trees fell on power lines in Pangasinan, Benguet and Zambales
- Fisherfolk and farmers were also affected because their fish pens overflowed and their crops were destroyed
