12 dead, crop damage up as many areas struck by Lawin still without power
At least 12 were reported dead even as many areas sustained heavy damage in the wake of a super typhoon that sliced through parts of northern Philippines, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Friday.
Around 26.16 million pesos worth of crops in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) was destroyed because of Typhoon Lawin, said Romina Marasigan, disaster risk reduction council spokesperson.
Of the total, rice valued at P17.19 million pesos were destroyed followed by high value crops estimated at 6.8 billion pesos.
She said these figures may increase as they are waiting for reports from other regions hit by the super typhoon..
Marasigan said a total of 42 road sections and four bridges in Regions I, II, III and CAR were not passable due to floods and landslides.
Power interruption is experienced in a total of 60 cities and municipalities in Regions I, Calabarzon and in the whole of Cordillera Administrative Region. Problems in phone signals are reported in the provinces of Abra (Bangued and San Isidro), Apayao (Luna), Benguet, Baguio City, Ifugao, Kalinga (Tabuk City), Bontoc (Mt. Province).
No estimate on infrastructure damage was given by the disaster risk reduction council. .
Marasigan said seven casualties were recorded in the Cordillera region while five fatalities from Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Abra and Isabela were still being verified.
The agency has recorded a total of 13,297 families or 51,458 displaced individuals, a total of 10,606 families or 40,515 persons were being served inside a total of 334 evacuation centers.
As of 8am the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that 38 passengers and 15 motorboats were still stranded in different ports in Calabarzon and North Eastern Luzon.
Col. Antonio Francisco, Philippine Air Force spokesman, said among air assets they deployed were two C130 aircraft to ferry relief goods from Mactan to Tuguegarao, Cagayan, a C-295 aircraft to conduct aerial reconnaissance and Sokol helicopters that transported rescue teams to Isabela province.
Philippine Navy spokesman Capt. Lued Lincuna said their ships are still waiting for favorable sea condition to transport a total of 250 tons of relief good to the affected areas. Robina Asido/DMS
