BY MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
At least 10 people have already been killed in Albay and Catanduanes while three others went missing after typhoon “Rolly” wreaked havoc in Bicol (Region 5), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported Sunday night.
A report from OCD-5 said three fatalities were recorded in the municipality of Guinobatan, two in Malinao, and one each in Daraga, Oas, Polangui, and Tabaco City.
The fatalities in Guinobatan town were identified as Ligaya Olayta of Barangay Travesia, Malou Nota of Barangay San Francisco, and Samuel Manrique Jr., 5, of Barangay San Francisco.
It was not immediately clear whether Manrique was the same person as the five-year-old kid who was washed away by flashflood as described earlier by Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara.
Another fatality was reported in Gigmoto, Catanduanes. He was identified as Luis Ubalde Jr., 48, of Barangay Biong.
Meanwhile, the missing persons were identified as Elvie Manrique, 50, Michaela Manrique, 18, both are relatives of 5-year-old Samuel; and Dave Ongaria, of Barangay Travesia, Guinobatan.
Claudio Yucot, regional director of OCD-5, said they have yet to identify the other fatalities as of this writing.
“May pinapalabas na kaming mga tao para tuntunin saan ‘yung mga reported na casualties at kilalanin sila,” he said.
Earlier, Governor Bichara said among the fatalities were a female victim who was crushed by a fallen tree while inside her home in Barangay Kimantong, Daraga; and an unidentified person who drowned after a dike in Albay collapsed.
Meanwhile, a total of 107,831 families or 390,298 individuals were affected in Bicol Region as of 6 p.m.
Of these, 94,492 families or 344,455 individuals were packed in evacuation centers, making the practice of social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 a challenge to the evacuees.
Electricity and internet supply were also cut in the entire province of Albay, Catanduanes and Camarines Sur as Rolly’s punishing winds and strong rains took down electric posts and damaged cables, the OCD-5 report said.
There was also intermittent water supply in Albay, the report said. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
