41 people were declared dead as Tropical Storm ‘Urduja’ was expected to leave yesterday but not after devastating at least nine regions in the country.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Urduja” (international name Kai-Tak) has maintained its strength as it approaches the western boundary of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) meanwhile on Tuesday said that 41 people has so far been confirmed killed as a result of Urduja’s wrath.
In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, NDRRMC, Spokeswoman Romina Marasigan said a total of 45 people remains missing due to the weather disturbance.
She said of the missing, 31 are from Biliran, one in Camarines Sur, 11 in Eastern Samar and two in Romblon.
In Biliran, rescuers used bulldozers to dig through mountains of mud and other parts of the Visayas to search for at least 34 people missing after heavy rains unleashed by slow-moving storm “Urduja” triggered landslides over the weekend.
But rescuers searching for survivors were not optimistic.
Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad, NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator, said a total of 244,121 families or 1,015,817 persons from 1,669 barangays in MIMAROPA, Regions V, VI, VII, VIII and CARAGA, were affected by Urduja.
Malacañang on Tuesday ordered the immediate distribution of 25,000 food packs to victims in Biliran and to expedite the construction of all the damaged bridges in that province.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte has committed to task the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to airlift and deliver the food packs to the different municipalities that were hit by the typhoon.
“I think it was a good visit of the President. The President announced, among others, that 25,000 food packs are already in Biliran as we speak,” Roque said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
At the same time, Roque said Duterte also asked members of the Cabinet, specifically, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, to hasten the building of the damaged bridges in Biliran, in the town of Naval.
During the interaction with local officials of Biliran, Duterte asked Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to be vigilant in the monitoring of possible surges in prices of commodities. (Francis T. Wakefield & Roy Mabasa)
