NDRRMC: 4 injured in Bicol due to Aghon, almost 6k passengers stranded

Four persons were injured in the Bicol region as Tropical Storm Aghon continues to affect several parts of the country, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Sunday.

In a press conference, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) spokesperson Edgar Posadas said that all the four casualties came from Legazpi, Albay.

Three of them were minors aged 5, 11, and 12. The other casualty was a 30 year old male who was reportedlystruckt by a felled tree and a tricycle and is subject for validation. 

Posadas said the OCD will also verify reports that one person was killed in Northern Mindanao because of Aghon.

“Sa ngayon, wala pang naiulat sa amin [we haven’t received reports yet], but we will look into that. We will ask our regional office in Region 10 to validate,” he said.

The NDRRMC noted in its 8 a.m. latest situational report that there were no fatalities or missing due to the tropical storm.

Posadas, in a Super Radyo dzBB interview, said that Aghon has affected a total of 2,734 people or 513 families in 18 barangays in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.

Of the total, 523 people or 34 families were sheltered in evacuation centers.

Posadas said that food and non-food items were already prepositioned both by the OCD and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in regional offices to augment the resources of the local government units.

“Ang binabantayan natin dito hindi masyado ‘yung hangin, but ‘yung buhos ng ulan lalo na’t didikit siya nang medyo malapit dito sa Metro Manila,” he said.

(What we're monitoring here is the rainfall, not so much the wind, especially because Aghon will come quite close to Metro Manila.)

As of 8 a.m. on Sunday, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was raised over parts of Quezon, Rizal, Batangas and Laguna as Aghon maintained its strength.

The tropical storm severely damaged four houses in Eastern Visayas and partially damaged 17 others, according to NDRRMC.

A total of 46 cities and municipalities also experienced power interruptions due to Aghon. Power in 27 areas has already been restored, while power in the remaining 19 areas was still affected. 

Communication lines in two areas in the Bicol Region were also affected due to the tropical storm.

Seven domestic flights and 48 seaport trips were also canceled.

NDRRMC said the cancellations resulted in 5,969 stranded passengers in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.

Posadas said that affected seaports are expected to provide assistance for stranded passengers.

He also appealed to the public to postpone any unnecessary travels via sea to avoid inconvenience.

“Kung meron lang din kayong lakad na pwedeng i-postpone na hindi naman masyadong importante, medyo ipagpaliban na muna natin, because definitely lalo na kung sasakay kayo ng barko in between, kapag may signal na po, hindi na talaga nagpapalayag ang Coast Guard, so chances are ma-stranded kayo,” Posadas said. 

(If you ave a trip that is not very important, you should postpone it. When there is already a storm signal, the Coast Guard will not let you sail, especially if you are going to board a boat or ship. So, chances are, you’ll get stranded.) —RF, GMA Integrated News