By Perla G. Lena
TACLOBAN CITY, Nov.13 (PNA) –The government in cognizance of health risks posed by bodies left open along side streets and those covered by debris as a result of super typhoon Yolanda is stepping up efforts on the retrieval of cadavers.
Interior and Local Government secretary Manuel Roxas Ii said that the manpower of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), equipment of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and resources of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be utilized in the retrieval operations.
The operation started at the “main artery,” according to Roxas. Wednesday’s operations along San Jose Street in Tacloban resulted to the recovery of 124 cadavers.
Similar effort will be done in five more major roads and in other local government units in the region.
Meantime, the digging of mass grave in Taclobans’s Brgy. Basper Wednesday was put on hold following rumors of firefight, which is not true according to Roxas.
The secretary added that an outpost was established in the area to ensure that the digging will be completed.
Cadavers that have been identified and with claimants will be buried in one mass grave while those whose fingerprints and other identification marks were just determined but have no claimants will also be placed in one burial ground.
Super typhoon Yolanda left 2,161 persons dead; 3, 469 injured and 72 still missing as of the 8 a.m. Wednesday, data from the Office of the Civil Defense in Eastern Visayas showed. (PNA)
CTB/PGLENA/EGR