The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported yesterday that the death toll from tropical depression “Usman” has climbed to 85.
Office of Civil Defense Director for Operations and NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said 10 more bodies were recovered by search and retrieval teams.
Posadas said the fatalities came from Region 4-A (one), Region 4-B (three), 68 in Bicol, and 13 in Samar provinces.
Twenty persons were reported missing while 40 were reported injured.
Posadas said the NDRRMC, through the Management of the Dead and the Missing Cluster led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, is still validating the reported number of fatalities.
“Casualties are still subject for validation and verification,” he said.
NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad said the estimated damage to agriculture in the Bicol region has increased to P342,233,565.24.
Jalad said most of the damage to agriculture was sustained in Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, and Masbate.
He said that 45,348 families or 191,597 persons from 457 barangays in Region 4-A, Region 4-B, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas were affected by Usman.
The NDRRMC said 6,637 families or 24,894 persons are being served inside 170 evacuation centers.
On the other hand, 12,132 families or 54,665 persons are being served outside. (Francis T. Wakefield)
