Reported fatalities amid Nika, Ofel, Pepito now 13

The number of people who reportedly died amid the onslaught of tropical cyclones Nika, Ofel, and Pepito has increased to 13, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Sunday.

The NDRRMC said five of the reported fatalities were already validated, while the rest were still subject to verification. Three other individuals were reported missing.

The recent storms that hit the country affected 4.2 million people or 1.1 million families across 39 provinces, resulting in 167,798 persons being displaced.

There are 105,215 individuals who remain in evacuation centers and 62,583 staying elsewhere.

The combined effects of the three tropical cyclones also left a P2.8 billion damage to infrastructure and P784 million damage to agriculture.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) also logged an P85.3 million worth of damage.

The three storms also damaged 123,441 houses, and affected 547 roads and 122 bridges nationwide.

The NDRRMC said 35 cities and municipalities have so far declared being under a state of calamity due to Nika, Ofel, and Pepito. Twelve each were in Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), nine were in Central Luzon, and two were in Ilocos Region.

Financial assistance amounting to P360.8 million has been provided to affected families, the NDRRMC added. —RF, GMA Integrated News