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Kristine reported death toll up at 85, OCD says
The reported fatalities due to the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) have increased to 85, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Sunday.
OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, however, said they will still validate if the causes of death of the 85 individuals were really due to the effects of the recent storm.
“Mabilis ang pagtaas dahil pumapasok na ang mga reports. Actually from 81, naging 85 na ho ‘yan (nasawi),” Nepomuceno said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(The death toll is increasing fast because the reports are now coming. From 81, there are now 85 reported dead.)
The OCD official said they expect the number of fatalities to still increase as there are 41 individuals who remain missing.
“‘Yung mga nasaktan, naiulat sa atin ‘yan, 70 ‘yun. Inaasahan nating aangat rin po ‘yan,” he added.
(There 70 individuals injured and this number may still increase too.)
Nepomuceno said many of the casualties were victimized by landslides, and some due to flooding.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), there were 158 areas that have so far declared a state of calamity in the aftermath of Kristine.
Among the areas under state of calamity is Batangas, where 54 people died, 18 were injured, and 21 were missing, according to police.
Seven barangays in Libon, Albay, meanwhile remained isolated as of Saturday due to several landslides.
The Department of Public Works and Highways on Saturday said 21 national roads were still closed to traffic following the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine this week.
Relief assistance
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that more than 405,000 family food packs and 10,800 non-food items were already released to various local government units to be distributed to those affected by the severe tropical storm.
Aside from these, P1.5 million financial assistance was also given to affected residents, especially those in the Bicol Region and Calabarzon.
“Ito’y mga burial assistance at relief assistance para sa mga pamilya naman po na may mga pumusay bunsod ng bagyong Kristine and...to support also the early recovery of disaster-affected families,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumalo said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.
(These are burial assistance and relief assistance for the families that have been affected by Typhoon Kristine and to also support the early recovery of disaster-affected families.)
Dumlao said that social workers have been deployed in certain areas in Calabarzon to offer psychosocial interventions and burial assistance to families who had a loved one perish due to Kristine.
According to her, the DSWD also committed to LGUs that additional support will be continuously provided in the aftermath of the storm.
“Ongoing din ‘yung production ng mga family food packs natin sa [there’s an ongoing production of family food packs in the] National Resource Operations Center and the Visayas Disaster Response Center. We’re hitting a daily output of around 20,000 food packs for both major hubs,” Dumlao said.
“Dahil nga naghahanda na rin tayo para sa mga paparating pang weather events or disturbances, we are also monitoring ‘yung mga naka-preposition na sa iba’t ibang rehiyon at ‘yung mga kinakailangan nating dagdagan pa,” she added.
(Since we are also preparing for the upcoming weather events or disturbances, we are also monitoring the family food packs that are already prepositioned in different regions and those that we need to add more.)
Currently, she said that the DSWD still has a P200 million standby fund, but the agency has already requested the replenishment of its quick response fund from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Air assets
As for the Philippine Air Force (PAF), spokesperson Colonel Maria Consuelo Castillo said that they continue to deploy their air assets to provide help to affected areas, especially the isolated ones.
“Lahat ho ng assets ng Philippine Air Force, whether on the air or on the ground, ready and committed para maghatid ng tulong sa ating mga kababayang nasalanta,” Castillo said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.
(All the assets of the Philippine Air Force, whether in the air or on the ground, are ready and committed to deliver aid to our affected countrymen.)
“So far, itong past two days, gamit na gamit ho ang ating air assets. Nu'ng favorable and safe na for flying, nag-deploy tayo ng mga air assets, both rotary and fixed, para maghatid ng relief goods, mag-conduct ng rapid damage assessment and needs analysis,” she continued.
(So far in the past two days, our air assets were really utilized. When it was already favorable and safe for flying, we deployed air assets, both rotary and fixed, to deliver relief goods and conduct rapid damage assessment and needs analysis.)
Camarines Sur
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Saturday went to Camarines Sur and said relief efforts were hampered in the Bicol Region due to floods that have yet to recede.
Marcos said trucks bearing rice from the National Food Authority and Food Terminal Incorporated reached Naga City on Sunday morning to provide food for affected residents in the province.
The OCD in Region 5 said that as of 6:15 a.m. on Sunday, flood has gone down in Barangay San Jose in Milaor, Camarines Sur.
While the inner parts of the municipality remain flooded, the OCD said that some residents have already started cleaning their homes.
Trucks, buses, and bigger vehicles with up to 3 to 4 feet ground clearance can also now pass through the roads.
However, the OCD said Camarines Sur still needs an area where submerged vehicles can be temporarily towed. Once the roads are cleared, the flow of traffic is expected to be lighter.
The OCD said unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) will be flown to determine possible alternate routes to ease the traffic in the area.
—KG/RF, GMA Integrated News
