Nine reported dead due to Super Typhoon ''Pepito"
At least nine were reported dead due to the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Pepito” after it left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at Monday noontime.
According to reports, the Police Regional Office said that seven family members in Nueva Vizcaya died due to a landslide.
In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas, Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said two individuals died in Nueva Ecija.
“It is saddening that in Nueva Ecija, two individuals were urged to evacuate from the riverside, but they refused to leave their homes. When the river's water rose, they were swept away. This is not the fault of the local officials as they insisted on them evacuating, but their stubbornness led to them being carried away by the rushing river water,” Remulla said.
He added that there were no deaths in Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Aurora, and Cagayan due to pre-emptive evacuation.
“The worst hit areas are Catanduanes, the eastern portion of Samar, eastern portion of Camarines Sur, and Aurora. They implemented preemptive evacuation measures very early,'' he said.
“ Pre-emptive evacuation was a massive success story. The lesson here is that if people refuse to leave, they should be forcibly removed from their homes to prevent unnecessary deaths. Whether they like it or not, they must be evacuated. If someone dies despite all efforts, there’s nothing more the local government could do,” Remulla said.
In an interview with ANC, Camarines Norte Public Information Officer Sarah Marie Pante-Aviado said an earlier reported death of a 76-year-old in Bagasbas Road was due to a vehicular accident.
The victim was riding a motorcycle. '' There is no mark that showed that proved that the victim got entangled in a wire. Instead, it’s because of loss of blood coming from the head injury he got from the vehicular accident,” Pante-Aviado said.
In its 5 pm bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said “Pepito” was last spotted 405 kilometers west northwest of Sinait, Ilocos Sur outside of PAR.
It had maximum winds of 110 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 135 kilometers per hour.
“Pepito” is forecast to move west or west southwest under the influence of an incoming northeasterly wind surge.
It is expected to weaken as it moves over the West Philippine Sea and become a remnant low by Wednesday. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
