2 dead, 1 hurt, 1 missing due to ‘Bising’ — NDRRMC

Two persons died while another was reported missing after typhoon “Bising” (international name: Surigae) pummeled Southern Luzon and parts of Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) disclosed Tuesday, April 20.

NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said the fatalities were reported in Central Visayas (Region 7) and Eastern Visayas (Region 8). Their identities have yet to be released pending the completion of the validation by the NDRRMC National Operations Center.

However, local civil defense officials previously identified one of the fatalities as Alberto Wales, 79, of St. Bernard, Southern Leyte. He reportedly died after suffering from severe head injuries when he was hit by a felled coconut tree last April 17.

Meanwhile, an uprooted tree fell on a house in Catmon, Cebu on Sunday, April 18 that resulted in the death of a 47-year old woman and injured a 45-year old man.

Jalad said 40-year-old fisherman Louie Din, of San Jose, Northern Samar was reported missing in Eastern Visayas after he failed to return home from a fishing trip with three other companions.

Jalad said search and rescue operations have been launched to locate Din.

About 50,523 individuals were affected by the typhoon in 233 barangays in Bicol and Eastern Visayas.

Providing a breakdown, Jalad said 12,753 families (49,829 individuals) in Bicol and 160 families (694 individuals) in Eastern Visayas were affected by Bising.

There were 18,467 families or 68,490 persons who were also preemptively evacuated in Bicol and Eastern Visayas due to threats of flooding and landslides.