(UPDATED)
After the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine”, the Bicol Region (Region 5) is now on a “rescue and recovery” mode even as the nationwide death toll further increased to 46, authorities said on Friday, Oct. 25.
Data from Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator, USec. Ariel Nepomuceno showed that majority of the fatalities were recorded in Bicol Region (Region 5) with 28 while Calabarzon (Region 4A) had 15 deaths.
Ilocos Region (Region 1), Central Luzon (Region 3), and Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) had one deaths apiece.
Police Brigadier General Andre P. Dizon, regional director of Bicol Police Regional Office (PRO-5), said three people were also missing and nine others were injured in the region.
The death toll is feared to further increase as the OCD begins to receive reports from their local offices on the ground.
Meanwhile, a separate report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed that a total of 2,656,446 individuals or 569,524 families were affected in 3,483 barangays in 15 regions across the country: Regions 1, 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3, 4A, 4B (Mimaropa), 5, 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 9, 10 (Northern Mindanao), 12 (Soccsksargen), 13 (Caraga), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Of those affected, more than 247,000 individuals were displaced and either staying in evacuation centers or other people’s homes for shelter.
“Bicol Region is now on a rescue and recovery mode,” Dizon said, stressing that the focus is on the conduct of search of those who are still stranded due to massive flooding as well as the delivery of relief assistance.
Four C130 transport aircraft arrived at the Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay on Friday morning, carrying additional relief goods and rubber boats from the national government which were requested by the local government there as roads were still inundated and not passable to vehicles.
Dizon said the relief aid and rubber boats will be brought to the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s (PA) 9thInfantry in Pili, Camarines Sur as they will determine where the search and rescue equipment shall be deployed.
“Naga is really badly hit because of the widespread floods, most of the casualties were recorded there. Camarines Sur was also hit hard, too,” Dizon said.
Aftermath
According to the NDRRMC, a total of 207 areas remained flooded, including 70 in Bicol Region, although the weather throughout the country has since improved.
A total of 293 roads and 67 bridges were also not passable in Regions 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 8, 9, 10, BARMM and CAR.
Many households were still without electricity as 115 areas still experiencing power interruption, majority of which were reported in Calabarzon and Bicol.
Nine areas in Bicol and one in Calabrzon also had water interruption, threatening the supply of potable water of the residents.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that 10,015 passengers were still stranded in 126 ports in Southern Tagalog, Northwestern Luzon, Bicol, Northeastern Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Northeastern Mindanao, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, National Capital Region-Central Luzon, Southern Visayas, and Northern Mindanao.
There were also 2,691 rolling cargoes, 98 vessels and 17 motorbancas that were stranded in the ports.
Kristine also caused P15.25 million worth of damage to infrastructure in Regions 4A, 4B, 10 and 12; and P9.7 million agricultural loss in Bicol.