By MARTIN SADONGDONG
At least 13 new fatalities were recorded in Southern Luzon and Visayas due to tropical storm “Ursula,” bringing the death toll to 41, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported yesterday.
Of the data, NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said seven new fatalities were noted in Mimaropa (Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan or Region 4B) – five in Oriental Mindoro and two in Occidental Mindoro.
Aside from three recorded deaths last Saturday, five fatalities were also reported in Eastern Samar. Five persons also perished in Leyte, up from its previous record of two deaths.
In Aklan, there were three recorded deaths, higher than its previous record of two fatalities.
NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said they were hoping that there would be no more casualties as all the affected regions have reported the extent of damage by Ursula in their areas.
However, Timbal said they have yet to locate the whereabouts of 12 people who went missing at the height of the tropical storm earlier this week. Of the missing, eight were recorded in Region 6, and two each in Mimaropa and Region 8.
“Continuing pa (search and rescue operations),” he said.
The number of injured persons also increased from two to 28 – 13 of whom were in Region 6; 10 in Region 8; and five in Mimaropa.
Meanwhile, Ursula’s damage to agriculture and infrastructure in Southern Luzon and the Visayas has ballooned to P1,074,292,945.
The agriculture industry in Region 6 continued to be the most affected as it sustained P595,300,804 worth of damages. In Iloilo alone, farmers and fishermen lost over P168 million in its fisheries sector, P10.4 million in high-value crops, and more than P9 million in its rice produce.
Jalad said aid were continuously being provided to the affected regions to help them get back on their feet.
