LEGAZPI CITY – The death toll from the floods and landslides in Bicol due to typhoon “Dante” has reached 21, Director Bernardo Alejandro IV of the Office of the Civil Defense said Monday.

As of 6:30 a.m. of May 4, fifteen persons were confirmed buried by landslide in Barangay Hubo, Magallanes, Sorsogon, Alejandro said.

The fatalities from the landslide were identified as Eleanor Balquerin, 49; Rodolfo Delos Santos, 44; Katrina Delos Santos, 8; Renz Delos Santos, 5; Jonalyn Coronado, 23; Isidro Hicap, 26; Rhean Krista Coronado, 1 year old; Lucena Hilad, 38; Charles Hilab, 7; Epifanio Guardacasa, 59; Juliana Guardacasa, 54; Noel Guardacasa, 19; Rex Guardacasa, 15; Rennel Guardacasa, 11; and Nico Bañadera, 7; Other casualties were Joel Acal, 19, a fisherman of Mercedes, Camarines Norte, and Jason Mercado of Purok 2, Exciban, Labo, Camarines Norte, who drowned.

In Camarines Sur, Purificacion Villamero, 61, and Joy Villamero, 26, both of San Antonio, Nabua town were electrocuted.

In Catanduanes, Domingo Torio, 85, of small Viga town drowned.

Three persons still missing. They are Jerry Guardacasa, 37; Sonny Balquein, 32; and Anthony Hombre, 23, all of Barangay Hubo, Magallanes, Sorsogon.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSDW) reported that as of 4 p.m., May 3, a total of 55, 346 persons or 9, 676 families had been evacuated to 165 evacuation centers in Bicol due to the floods and heavy rains.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said that as of 11 p.m. on Sunday, 15 persons were killed in Sorsogon, four persons in Camarines Norte, and one in Catanduanes.

NDCC executive administrator Glenn Rabonza said that the heavy rains brought about by tropical storm “Dante” triggered the landslide, which killed 15 people, including two-month-old Nica Rose Habitan.

Rabonza said that Army soldiers from 901st Infantry Brigade also recovered the bodies of Jason Mercado and Joel Acal, who drowned in Labo and Mercedes towns in Camarines Norte.

Also recovered were the bodies of Purificacion T. Villamero, 61; Joy T. Villamero, 28, both of San Antonio in Camarines Sur; and Domingo Torio, 85, who were believed to have been electrocuted in the floods, Rabonza said.

The NDCC reported that rescuers are still looking for Jerry Guadacasa, 37; Sonny Balquein, 32; and Anthony Hombre, 23, who have been reported missing in the landslide in Hubo, Magallanes, Sorsogon.

Rabonza noted that rains brought about by tropical storm “Dante” has caused flooding and landslides in the Albay and other Bicol provinces and have displaced 8,187 families or a total of 48,645 persons.

He assured that nine evacuation centers have been opened to serve as temporary refuge to about 622 families or a total of 3,302 persons displaced by floods and landslides.

Rabonza said that a total of 5,708 passengers, 58 small cars, 43 buses, 106 trucks, 15 motor bancas and 17 vessels were stranded yesterday in the Pasacao, Tabaco, Camaligan, Pilar, Bulan, Matnog Babor, Sabang, Placer, Pio Duran and Victory ports in Bicol as of 4 p.m. on Sunday.

He said that ferry operations in Allen, Northern Samar are still cancelled since Saturday, stranding 1,663 passengers, and 165 vehicles at Looc port and 547 passengers, and 34 vehicles in Dapdap Port.

New storm nears RP

After several days of rain, the country, especially Bicol region, will finally have good weather in the next few days as weather men lowered all public storm signals as tropical storm Dante moved further away from the country.

Dr. Nilo Prisco, administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), however, said a new tropical storm to be called “Emong” (international name: Chan – Hom) is expected to enter the country within the week and bring rains, particularly in Luzon.

Tropical storm “Dante” (international name, Kujira) gained speed and strength while moving away from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Monday, Prisco said.

PAGASA spotted the tropical storm at 390 kilometers (km) northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, packing winds at 105 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 135 kph, while moving towards the east-northeast at a faster speed of 15 kph as of 11 a.m. Monday.

Nilo said tropical storm “Dante” is expected to be out of the country Tuesday.