TYPHOON 'WENG' LEAVES 4 DEAD

MANILA, November 15, 2003  (STAR) Four people, two of them children, died after being electrocuted by high tension wires, which fell on them as tropical storm "Weng" rampaged through the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas yesterday.

Nearly four million people were left without electricity in Western Samar, Masbate and Marinduque, and close to 2,000 ferry passengers were stranded in ports in Sorsogon and Northern Samar.

At least 22 domestic flights were cancelled yesterday due to strong winds in their destinations.

These were flights to and from Roxas City in Capiz, Masbate, Marinduque, Tagbiliran, Katiklan in Aklan, Busuanga in Palawan, Catarman in Western Samar,

Virac in Catanduanes, Antique, Naga City, Legazpi City and Kalibo in Aklan.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Weng was located 50 kilometers south-southeast of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

With center winds at 85 kilometers per hour, Weng was moving westward at 19 kilometers per hour. The storm was expected to cross Coron, Palawan last night, then move toward the South China Sea early today.

Farmer Danilo Crolfo was walking along a road in Barangay Serang in Naga City around 10:30 p.m., when strong winds severed a high tension wire, which fell on him and he was electrocuted, said Office of Civil Defense director for the Bicol Region Arnel Capili.

Leonisa Nemi, 11, was electrocuted when a high tension wire fell on her at about 7 p.m. in Barangay Gubat.

Her companion, Liclic Budino, 11, tried to help her, but she was also eletrocuted when she accidentally touched a live wire.

Liclic’s father came to their rescue, but he failed, and suffered burns in the body and was taken in critical condition to the Camarines Norte District Hospital.

The fourth victim, Jonel Buesing, died after he was electrocuted while repairing an electrical connection in the home of a neighbor in Tabaco City in Albay.

Superintendent Ely Bron, Tabaco police chief. said Buesing acidentally touched a live wire while he was repairing the electrical connection.

In Sorsogon, some 1,200 passengers bound for the Samar and Leyte provinces have been stranded at the Matnog port, said Coast Guard Commander Crisolito Agustin.

They are waiting in 79 trucks, 31 buses and 49 cars to be allowed to board a ferry to cross the water to Allen town in Northern Samar, he added.

In Pilar port, Sorsogon another 200 passengers enroute to Masbate City have also been stranded, and three vessels were ordered by the Coast Guard to stop ferry service.

The Coast Guard said 38 passengers were stranded in seven vessel in a port in Masbate City, where electricity has been cut off.

Power has also been cut throughout Sorsogon because strong winds have been violently swaying high tension wires, said engineer Erwin Piraman.

As of presstime, electricity has been restored only in Legazpi City.

In Northern Samar, Allen town Mayor Laureano Dubongco-Suan said stranded passengers will be given food, beddings, medicine, and other basic needs until the typhoon leaves.

"I will mobilize my local disaster coordinating council to assist the stranded passengers for whatever problem that may arise during their stay," she said.

As of 1 p.m. yesterday, the Coast Guard reported that the bulk of stranded passengers are in the ports of

Catbalogan in Western Samar, Matnog in Sorsogon and in Batangas.

"The instruction (of Coast Guard commandant Vice Adm. Arthur Gosingan) to all Coast Guard personnel is to be on alert and continue monitoring all vessels," said Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Armand Balilo.

"We are strictly enforcing our policy that no ship will leave into and out of storm-affected areas," he said.

Reports from different Coast Guard detachments said 120 ships and boats were prevented from leaving, although one large passenger ship was allowed to sail from Manila to Cebu yesterday morning since it would not be passing the storm’s path.

The ship was prevented from leaving last night, reports added.

Balilo said Catbalogan port had the most number of stranded passengers with 1,244, followed by Matnog and Batangas with about 850 each.

Others that reported large number of stranded passengers were Iloilo with 700, Calapan, Mindoro with 300, Cebu with 528, and Bacolod with 270, he added.

Balilo said Batangas reported the most number of stranded vehicles with 240, followed by Calapan with 200. Cebu had the most number of detained ships and boats at 79, he added. — Celso Amo, Eladio Perfecto, Felix delos Santos, Jaime Laude, Sandy Araneta, Jose Aravilla