Glenda death toll hits 64; damage over P5 B

MANILA, Philippines - The amount of property damage caused by Typhoon Glenda has ballooned to more than P5.6 billion, while the death toll has risen to 64, disaster management officials said yesterday.

The typhoon damaged P4.63 billion worth of infrastructure in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Metro Manila, according to a report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The amount of damage to agriculture has reached P1.05 billion. The figure covered damaged crops, livestock and agricultural facilities in Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Metro Manila and Cordillera regions.

The amount of property damage is expected to rise further as the NDRRMC is still awaiting reports on affected school facilities.

A total of 26,259 houses were damaged in Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Metro Manila.

The NDRRMC said the number of fatalities caused by Glenda has climbed to 64.

New fatalities were recorded in Cavite, Laguna and Batangas, most of them caused by drowning.

Forty-three of the fatalities were from Calabarzon region, five each from Mimaropa and Eastern Visayas, four each from Central Luzon and Bicol, two from Metro Manila and one from Western Visayas.

The number of injured persons has swelled to 103 while five are still missing.

The NDRRMC said Glenda has affected 882,326 persons or 167,293 families in Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Metro Manila. – With Sheila Crisostomo, Rainier Allan Ronda, Lawrence Agcaoili, Michelle Zoleta, Ric Sapnu, Ed Amoroso, Dino Balabo, Kathleen Martin