The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said yesterday that 26 persons were killed while 46 others remain missing due to tropical storm “Urduja” (international name “Kai-Tak”) in Eastern Visayas.
NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan, quoting figures submitted by the Management of the Dead and Missing Persons Cluster led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said most of the victims died in landslides, especially in Biliran province.
Philippine National Police Regional Office 8 (Eastern Visayas) director Chief Supt. Gilbert Cruz said 27 persons were killed while 15 others were missing in Biliran Island due to Urduja. Cruz said rescue and retrieval operations are ongoing for the victims.
Marasigan said 34 persons were injured due to vehicular accidents and landslides caused by Urduja. Twenty-six were from Tacloban City, five from Leyte, and three from Samar.
Marasigan said 44,369 families from Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Mimaropa, and Caraga were displaced by Urduja and staying in 608 evacuation centers.
Two-thousand nine-hundred passengers were stranded in various ports due to Urduja. Marasigan said the bulk is in the Port of Manila at the North Harbor in Manila.
Four bridges in Biliran, Leyte, and Samar are impassable to all types of vehicles. Seventeen road sections are also impassable in the Mimaropa, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Davao region, and Caraga.
Marasigan said clearing operations are being conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways in areas affected by landslides.
Forty-eight houses were totally damaged while 101 were partially damaged in Region 8 and Caraga.
Evacuees have been provided R37,713,147.8 worth of food packs and non food items.
Meanwhile, Urduja is finally on its way out of the country yesterday, after making six landfalls in the Visayas and Palawan over the last three days.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration weather forecaster Obet Badrina said Urduja made landfall five times over Visayas before its sixth and final landfall over Taytay, Palawan yesterday morning.
It first hit the landmass of San Policarpio, Eastern Samar Saturday afternoon, and moved over to Mobo in Masbate, Sibuyan Island in Romblon, Malay in Aklan, and Cuyo Island in Palawan Sunday.
As of noon yesterday, Urduja was estimated at 90 kilometers north-northwest of Puerto Princesa City, slightly weaker with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 60 kph.
Badrina said public storm warning Signal No. 1 remains over Palawan but PAGASA could lift the warning yesterday as Urduja continues to move west towards the West Philippine Sea 18 kph.
Should it maintain its track, Urduja will be outside the country’s area of responsibility this morning, he added.
Scattered rains will continue over Palawan, advising residents in the province to undertake appropriate measures against flooding and landslides and coordinate with their local disaster risk reduction and management offices.
Sea travel also remains risky over the seaboards of Palawan due to the tail-end of a cold front. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz and Francis T. Wakefield)
