E. Samar under state of calamity; death toll at 5

Authorities in Eastern Samar province have declared a state of calamity after continuous rains that have triggered floods and landslides killed at least five persons and affected more than 10,000 families. Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said Tuesday many families are still trapped in inner sitios and villages where floodwaters had risen to unusually high levels. "Maraming families, mahigit 10,000 families ang apektado. Mangilan-ilan ang nasa evacuation centers. May na-trap sa interior barangay at sitio di namin ma-access kasi ang means of transportation, banca (More than 10,000 families had been affected. Some of them are in evacuation centers but many are also trapped in interior villages. We cannot get to them because the only means of transportation is by boat)," Evardone said in an interview on dzEC radio. Evardone also cited reports reaching him indicating at least five had been reported dead, including one child. At least one person was wounded. Evardone said many rice fields were also destroyed because of the rains and floods. In the interview, Evardone said rains, winds and the strong current continue to lash the province, thwarting attempts by the military to conduct relief efforts. "Umuulan pa rin. Nag-attempt ang military helicopter from 8th Infantry Division sa Catbalogan di makarating (It's still raining heavily. A military chopper tried to take off from Catbalogan but it could not land in our province)," Evardone said. Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said flash floods and landslides still loom over Bicol and Eastern Visayas. In its 5 a.m. advisory, Pagasa said Southern Luzon and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms, "becoming widespread rains over Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and landslides." The rest of Luzon will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers. Mindanao will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the East and Northeast with slight to moderate seas. - GMANews.TV