At least six people were killed in a landslide and flash floods as tropical depression “Dante” lashed the eastern Philippines, reports said on Saturday. Radio dzBB said four perished in a landslide that buried part of a village in Sorsogon province Friday night. Two others died in the provinces of Quezon and Camarines Norte, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said. Ricardo Ca?ones, 60, who had been reported missing since April 30, was found dead in Talao-talao village in Lucena City, Quezon, the NDCC said. Fisherman Joel Acal, 19, who had been reported missing since April 28, was found dead in San Jose village, Talisay, Camarines Norte, it added. Eighteen villagers remained missing Saturday in the landslide in Barangay Hubo of Magallanes town, the report said. Senior Inspector Perfecto Rabulan of the Magallanes police said heavy rains caused the landslide. The landslide cut electricity in the village, the report said. The NDCC also said at least 2,384 passengers, 45 small cars, 60 trucks, 13 passenger buses, 12 motor bancas, and 16 vessels were stranded due to the floods and rains. The stranded were taking temporary shelter at the ports of Bataan, Catbalogan City in Samar, Roxas in Oriental Mindoro; Pio Duran in Albay, Bapor in Masbate, Pilar and Matnog in Sorsogon and Bacolod City in Negros Occidental. In the meantime, about 500 families or 2,500 people who were forced to leave their homes in Lucena, have returned home. But in Bicol, 145 families or 725 people remained at the Vinzons Pilot Elementary School in Camarines Norte and Solong Elementary School in Catanduanes. At least 12 villages in San Miguel, Catanduanes remained flooded while several roads in the province were reported impassable. These included the Virac-Bato-San Miguel-Viga-Panganiban-Bagamanoc-Pandan-Caramoran-San Andres-Virac circumferential road; Junction-Panganiban-Sabloyon Road Section; Junction Bato-Baras Road Section; Baras-Gigmoto-Viga Road Section; and several provincial road sections.
