Seven people died in the Cordillera region and La Union while one was reported missing in Ilocos Norte as typhoon Karen (international codename Nuri) battered Northern Luzon Wednesday.
Three children were buried in a landslide in Itogon, Benguet on Wednesday morning. An elderly woman, on the other hand, was crushed to death by falling debris in Baguio City before dawn.
Eroded soil and boulders killed Alvin Somera, 11, and his brothers Lester, 5, and Reggie, 1, while they were playing near their home in Ucab village in Itogon. Petra Katadar, 72, meanwhile, was crushed by falling debris while sleeping inside her room in Barangay Pinsao Pilot in Baguio.
Meanwhile, Hestertee Anne Carpiso, 21, was able to escape another landslide in Barangay Sta. Escolastica in Baguio, which occurred in the morning.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Baguio reported another casualty in Buguias, Benguet. Another person in Pennarubia, Benguet, died after being crushed by a tree.
In La Union, 77-year-old Hilario Badungan also died after being buried in a landslide.
Kennon Road, a major highway leading to Baguio, was closed down due to rockslides along the highway's Camp 3 and Camp 5 areas. Marcos Highway, meanwhile, remains accessible to traffic.
In Ilocos Norte, Dionisio Tumamao, 49, went missing after he was carried by floodwaters coming from the swelled Padsan River.
Local government officials are worried over damages that could be brought to newly-planted ricefields due to the rising floodwaters.
The province's agricultural sector, officials said, have not yet recovred from the damages brought by previous typhoons.
"We have a problem it has affected rice enhancement program. Our rice granary is all under water... We have a problem there. Malakas ang ulan eh... We are just recovering from typhoon Helen and Igme," Gov. Michael Keon said.
The provincial disaster coordinating council in Ilocos Norte said Laoag City and the towns of Badoc, Dingras and Sarrat are experiencing heavy flooding, while landslides have been reported in the towns of Vintar and Adams.
In Cagayan province, more than 100 families have also been evacuated due to the typhoon, and rivers have overflowed, flooding ricefields. With reports from ABS-CBN Baguio and ABS-CBN Laoag
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