Man drowns in Leyte town

1,730 families displaced by floods, landslide brought by ‘Bebeng’ in Eastern Visayas

Ormoc City — A man drowned while at least 1,730 families were temporarily displaced when floods and landslide hit a town and a city in Leyte and two towns in Northern Samar due to heavy rains brought by tropical storm “Bebeng.”

Luis Bengcol, 47, was crossing Villabina River in barangay Canlampay, Carigara town when he was swept by strong currents on Saturday morning, according to the Office of the Civil Defense in Eastern Visayas (OCD-8).

Cherylyn Lubang of the OCD-8 said the heavy rains on Saturday also triggered floods and landslides that displaced 632 families in 11 barangays in Ormoc City.

Six families were relocated to the barangay hall of Alta Vista after a landslide hit Purok Rosal, District 29, around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Ten barangays in Ormoc were also hit by floods, displacing at least 626 families or 3,756 persons, according to Lubang.

In Northern Samar, floods displaced 1,300 families in 24 barangays in Lope town and the capital town of Catarman.

Lubang said 20 barangays in Lope de Vega were affected by the floods, displacing 1,100 families or more than 6,000 persons who had to be relocated to the municipal hall.

In Catarman, 100 families from the four barangays were displaced after their homes were flooded on Saturday.

“Some of these families evacuated to their barangay halls while others were trapped inside their homes,” Lubang said.

In the meantime, 825 passengers were stranded in Allen town, Northern Samar, while 16 light vehicles, 23 trucks and 26 buses remained at the seaport after a roll-off roll-on vessel was prevented from sailing to Matnog, Sorsogon, because of the bad weather.

The rough seas also caused the delay of the departure of Bohol-bound vessel in Maasin City, Southern Leyte, affecting at least 70 passengers. /INQUIRER