13 killed, 10 missing in Philippine typhoon

The government agencies are speeding up rescue work Wednesday as the typhoon "Dindo" (international code name: Nida) sweeping the northeastern Philippine left at least 13 dead, one injured and 10 missing.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said that 28,871 persons of 5162 families have been affected .

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Tuesday placed under a state of calamity the heavily-hit Bicol region, Masbate, and Eastern Visayas.

The president said that she hopes the damage to lives and properties mitigated through concerted efforts.

"I call on all agencies of the government, especially those within the National Disaster Coordinating Council loop, and the local government units to make their facilities and resources accessible, to the maximum extent possible, in order to help affected individuals, families and communities," she said.

According to the rescue agencies, 2,986 people have been evacuated from their homes, while around 15,000 others were still stranded by the typhoon and ferry services between the main islandof Luzon and the central islands were suspended since Sunday.

The NDCC said that it had also facilitated the availability of one C-130 to airlift family packs.

A ferry with 158 passengers and 10 crew aboard Tuesday sunk offthe Camotes island in the central Philippines, leaving at least 11people dead, two of whom were children.

An earlier report said that a man was killed by the lightning in the central province of Antique and another one died after he was hit by a falling coconut.

The typhoon also resulted in an undetermined number of casualties triggered by a landslides, which obliterated three villages around the coastal town of Gigmoto and made about 700 families homeless.

As of Wednesday morning, the typhoon has caused a damage worth 72.6 million pesos (1.3 million dollars), including 33.3 million pesos (594,642 dollars) in the agriculture sector, 29.3 million pesos (523,214 dollars) in the government infrastructure and 10 million pesos (178,571 dollars) of private property, the NDCC said.

A TV report from the ABS-CBN News said that relief goods had been distributed in relocation centers in 35 towns and two cities in Camarines Sur province in Luzon islands, which was worst hit and, as authorities estimated, has lost around 7.8 million pesos (139,286 US dollars) in agriculture.

The Agriculture Department Monday said that initial reports revealed that 40,000 hectares planted to palay worth 400,000 pesos(7,143) in Alang-Alang, Leyte province, was completely damaged by the Typhoon Dindo.

The typhoon also battered in Biliran of the province another 50,000 hectares worth 10,000 pesos (179 dollars) planted to banana and 5,000 pesos (89.2 dollars) worth of assorted vegetables such as mungbean, squash, and other leafy vegetables.

Source: Xinhua