113 dead in Philippine landslides, floods | Toronto Telegraph

113 dead in Philippine landslides, floods

Toronto Telegraph (IANS) Friday 9th October, 2009

At least 113 people were killed in a series of landslides and floods brought about by days of heavy rains in the northern Philippines, officials said Friday.

Seventy of the victims were killed in landslides in La Trinidad town in Benguet province, 210 km north of Manila, according to provincial Governor Nestor Fongwan.

Fongwan said at least 32 houses were buried in La Trinidad when a mountain collapsed before dawn Friday.

'There is a place in La Trinidad where a mountain crushed and buried at least 32 houses.' he said. 'It occurred before dawn and people were sound asleep and were not able to escape.'

Fongwan said another landslide buried at least 10 houses in Abatan town, killing at least 17 people.

Senior Superintendent Loreto Espinili, the provincial police commander, said 13 more victims were killed in separate landslides in the towns of Mankayan, Bugias, Tublay and Sablan.

'We believe the death toll will increase because the landslides were massive,' he said, adding that rampaging floods were worsening the situation in the affected areas.

In Mountain Province, five people were confirmed dead in landslides and 32 were missing, provincial Governor Maximo Dulag said.

At least eight more people were killed in various accidents in the provinces of La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan, according to Chief Superintendent Ramon Gatan, a regional police director.

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