(FOURTH UPDATE)

Three more fatalities due to Super Typhoon “Karding” were reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday, Sept. 27, raising the death toll to eight.

NDRRMC spokesperson Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said that two additional deaths were recorded in Zambales; and one in Burdeos, Quezon province. Prior to this, the Council confirmed that five rescuers had perished in a flash flood in San Miguel, Bulacan.

Alejandro said the three additional cases will still undergo verification to determine the nature and cause of their death.

According to reports, an elderly farmer drowned in Cabangan, Zambales after a dike got destroyed during the onslaught of the typhoon. Meanwhile, a motorcycle rider reportedly drowned in San Felipe, Zambales when his vehicle overturned while crossing a flooded street.

In Burdeos, Quezon, a resident of Brgy. Aluyon was buried in a landslide at the height of Karding on Sept. 25.

An information officer of the NDRRMC also reported earlier in the day that there was a recorded death in Polillo, Quezon. The Council retracted the report later on.

An initially reported fatality in Bataan was also withdrawn by the NDRRMC.

"We received clarification that there was no death in Bataan in relation to Karding. Zero casualty po ang Bataan for Karding (Bataan has zero casualty for Karding)," said NDRRMC official Mark Timbal.

Meanwhile, three fishermen were reported missing in Mercedes, Camarines Norte after they ventured into sea amid the typhoon’s fury.

A total of 60,817 individuals or 16,476 families from 948 barangays were deemed affected by the typhoon in the National Capital Region (NCR), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region (1), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4A), Mimaropa (Region 4B), and Bicol (Region 5).

Of this, 46,008 individuals or 12,352 families were still staying in 976 evacuation centers.

Power supply has yet to be restored in majority of 99 cities and municipalities that went dark at the height of the typhoon. As of Tuesday, only 28 cities and municipalities have restored their electricity. Most of the areas that have no power are in Pangasinan, Isabela, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Quezon, Rizal, and Camarines Norte.

Further, a total of P1.6 million of assistance have already been distributed to the typhoon victims. These are composed of family food packs, water, hot meals, and financial assistance among others.