More than 68,000 people were forced to flee their homes and seek shelter from evacuation centers as heavy rains and strong spawned by typhoon Bising (international name Surigae) battered the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said it is yet to confirm the death of 79-year-old Alberto Wales who was reportedly hit by an uprooted coconut tree in St. Bernard, Southern Leyte.
The agency is also confirming reports that 40-year old fisherman Louie Din went missing after sailing into the sea before the Bising onslaught. His three companions were able to return to their homes.
"We received the information regarding casualties reported from Region 8 but the data are still subjected for further validation." said Easha Mariano, of the NDRRMC media affairs unit.
In a situational report, NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said a total of 18,467 families composed of 68,490 individuals were pre-emptively evacuated in Bicol and Eastern Visayas.
In Bicol, a total of 15,852 families comprising 57,793 individuals were pre-emptively evacuated in Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Sorsogon provinces.
Majority of the evacuees were from the towns of Malinao with 17,574); Tiwi with 9,562; Camalig with 3,959 and Rapu-Rapu with 1,451 in Albay. In Catanduanes, a total of 9,372 people were evacuated in VIrac; 3,052 in Baras, 2,775 in San MIguel; and 2,002 in Gigmoto.
A total of 2,615 families consisting of 10,697 residents in Eastern Visayas, on the other hand, were taken to temporary shelters in Biliran, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, and Leyte provinces. The towns with the most number of evacuees were Lapinig with 4,214 evacuees and Laoang with 1,355 in Northern Samar. In Eastern Visayas, a total of 1,360 people were evacuated in Guiuan 1,360.
The eye of typhoon Bising was located 250 km east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes as of 4 a.m. Monday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). It was moving north northwestward at 10 km per hour while maintaining its maximum sustained winds of 195 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 265 km per hour, the state weather bureau added.
Flooded areas
Due to incessant rains, 22 barangays were also reported flooded in Eastern Visayas. These were located in the towns of Can-avid and Jipadpad in Eastern Samar.
A total of two road sections and one bridge were also rendered not passable to motorists in Eastern Visayas due to flood and the threat of a landslide. These were the Biliran - Naval Road in Naval, Biliran; Wright - Taft - Borongan Road in Taft, Eastern Samar; and JCT. Taft - Oras - San Policarpio - Arteche Road in Arteche, Eastern Samar.
Power supply
Four provinces in Central Visayas (Region 7) and Eastern Visayas also experienced power interruption. These were located in Cebu; Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Eastern Samar.
Affected sea trips
As sea trips were cancelled in areas affected by typhoon Bising, the NDRRMC listed a total of 2,313 stranded passengers in various ports in Bicol, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
There were also 896 rolling cargoes and 61 vessels that were prevented from traveling in the three regions.