By Francis T. Wakefield
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has said that more than P1 billion worth of infrastructure and agricultural products were destroyed while 45 people were killed, 64 were injured, and 46 are missing due to tropical storm “Urduja” (international name “Kai-Tak”).
Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad, NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense administrator, said P1,018,523,982 in infrastructure and agricultural products were destroyed in Region 5, 7, 8, and 11.
Jalad said P543,220,000 worth of infrastructure was damaged in Regions 5, 8, and 11 while P475,303,982.02 damage to agriculture was recorded in Regions 5, 7, and 8.
Jalad said among the agricultural products destroyed were corn, rice, crops, and livestock.
He said 171 houses were destroyed in Regions 5, 8, and Caraga. Eleven road sections and seven bridges in Region 4-B, 5, and 8 are impassable.
The NDRRMC said Giporlos and Balangiga in Eastern Samar and Lope de Vega in Northern Samar, all in Region 8, were affected by water shortage caused by Urduja.
Jalad said 368 areas in Regions 4-B, 6, and 8 were flooded by Urduja.
The NDRRMC said 298,396 families or 1,150,486 persons were affected in 1,766 barangays in Regions 4-B, 5, 6, 7, 8, and Caraga.
More than 11,700 families or 53,600 persons remain in 236 evacuation centers in Regions 4-B, Regions 5, and 8.
Additional family food packs and non-food items from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and OCD have been transported to affected areas via the Philippine Navy.
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC has convened an emergency response preparedness meeting in preparation for tropical depression “Vinta.”
