Authorities are still unable to locate dozens of residents reported missing after Typhoon Tino, with the official count remaining at 44 as of Tuesday, November 18.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the number has not changed because search teams continue to encounter obstacles in heavily affected areas.
PDRRMO chief Dennis Pastor said rescuers have repeatedly combed coastal areas, rivers, and landslide-prone zones across multiple municipalities, but none of the sweeps have led to the recovery of additional victims.
Specialized units, including K9 teams, have also not picked up any signs of survivors or remains.
Field personnel now fear that some of the missing may have been swept away by floods, trapped under mud or debris, or submerged in rivers and coastal waters, making recovery operations extremely difficult.
The province has been supporting local government units with additional personnel and equipment from the beginning of the disaster response.
“Kani siya sa search and retrieval kuan gyud nana gyud na siya sa [local government unit] moexecute ana kita kita moaugment lang ta sa effort to locate,” he added.
Local responders continue to scour riversides, shorelines, and inland areas affected by flash floods and landslides.
Pastor said that if LGUs determine that further searches are no longer feasible, they may formally end retrieval operations.
Under the province’s “management of the dead and missing” protocol, those still unlocated after the conclusion of operations may be certified as missing and presumed dead, while authorities maintain coordination with the victims’ families.
The PDRRMO said monitoring is ongoing, and updated reports are being prepared for both the provincial government and national agencies.
Coordination with municipal and city disaster offices remains active as final decisions on the search status are expected in the coming days.
According to the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), as of Monday, November 17, Typhoon Tino has caused a total of 269 deaths nationwide.
Cebu recorded the highest toll at 150, followed by Negros Occidental with 77, and Negros Oriental with 23.
Agusan del Sur reported six fatalities; Capiz, three; and Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, and Bohol, one each. Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Dinagat Island recorded two fatalities each.
Aside from the 44 missing in Cebu, the OCD reported that 57 more remain unaccounted for in the province. Negros Occidental has 50 missing, while Negros Oriental has six.
The agency stressed that these figures are still being verified as local governments reconcile their reports with ongoing search operations.
Photo by: Jacq Hernandez
