In Southern Leyte, Philippines: Ferry runs aground near Liloan; folks in St. Bernard needs drinking water

TACLOBAN CITY -- A ferry was reported to have ran aground about 0.325 nautical miles from Liloan Terminal in Southern Leyte on January 3.

In a report released by the Philippine Information Agency in Eastern Visayas revealed the incident was due to heavy rains, strong winds, rough seas and zero visibility.

Philippine Ports Authority Tacloban Manager Winfred Elizalde identified the vessel as MV Maharlika 6 operated by the Archipelago Philippines Ferries Corporation, skippered by Captain Rogel Beltran.

It was learned that MV Maharlika 6 was carrying 170 passengers and four units of vehicles when it ran aground. The vessel was extracted thereat, and docked safely. Luckily, no one was injured, according to Elizalde.

Weather forecaster in the region said moderate to heavy rains due to the tail-end of a cold front and the northeast monsoon have continuously pounded the affected Eastern Visayas and the rest of the Philippines starting Dec. 29, 2010 until now, January 5, 2011.

No tropical cyclones, however, have been monitored to be within the Philippine Area of Responsibility, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in its latest weather report.

The PAGASA said that the northeast monsoon would continue to prevail over Luzon while the tail-end of a cold front would still affect Visayas and Mindanao.

Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies and will expect light rains. Meanwhile, Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, which will become widespread rains over the eastern sections, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides, Pagasa warned.

Meanwhile, in St. Bernard town, also in Southern Leyte, Philippines, the entire residents are now appealing for help for their needs of potable drinking water as floods destroyed their water system.

The flood and landslide stricken town of St. Bernard in Southern Leyte is in dire need of potable water as the municipal water system was damaged during the latest disaster.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of St. Bernard, Southern Leyte in its 7thth update, said that water is also badly needed for cooking and sanitation purposes.

Usable water is needed not only in the evacuation centers but municipal wide. The household, which were not evacuated and not flooded, do not have water also because of the damaged water system of the municipality.

The MDRRMC said that assistance is also in need of medicines for water borne diseases and other diseases which may result due to limited sanitation supplies.

As of 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon of January 5, the number of affected families increased to 669 from the 555 yesterday. The updated number of affected individuals rose to 2,663 and still counting.