Glenda death toll reaches 77

MANILA, Philippines - The number of casualties left by Typhoon Glenda that hit the country early last week soared to 77, with 220 injured and five still missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday.

The casualty figure is expected to increase further when the NDRRMC receives other field reports that were hampered by downed communication lines.

On top of the casualties left by Glenda, the NDRRMC also reported that as of yesterday, 330,433 families or more than 1.6 million individuals from Northern and Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog, Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions were affected.

NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Alexander Pama said of the affected families, 97,055 or 518,764 persons were displaced and are now staying at 1,264 government-run evacuation centers.

A total of 17 roads and three bridges in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Bicol and in the Cordillera Autonomous Region incurred major damage and as of yesterday remained closed to traffic.

Damage to infrastructure and agriculture from the six regions has been estimated at P5.8 billion – P1.050 billion of infrastructure and P4.810 billion in destroyed rice, corn, high value cash crops, livestock and agriculture facilities.

Casualties

In an updated report yesterday, NDRRMC said the 77 fatalities came the National Capital Region with two dead; Central Luzon with four; Mimaropa Region-4B (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) with five; Calabarzon Region 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) with 54; Bicol Region with six; Western Visayas with one and Eastern Visayas with five.

The fatalities perished either from drowning, electrocution, were hit by flying debris or pinned down by fallen trees as Glenda battered Eastern Visayas, Southern Luzon, National Capital Region, Central and Northern Luzon since early Tuesday.

Of 220 injured, 15 are from the NCR, two from Cagayan Valley, one from Central Luzon, Calabarzon with 75, Bicol Region with five and Eastern Visayas with 122.

As of yesterday, search and rescue operations continued for the two missing from Quezon and Batangas and one from Marinduque, reportedly swept away by floodwaters.

The two others were from Northern Samar who went fishing despite the stormy weather and have failed to return home.

Help

The United States has provided $150,000 in relief for the typhoon victims in Albay and Sorsogon provinces.

Ambassador Philip Goldberg said the US government stands ready to assist the Philippine authorities in helping affected families bounce back from this tragedy.

“On behalf of the American people, we extend our deepest condolences for the devastation and loss of life caused by Typhoon Glenda,” Goldberg said.– Pia Lee-Brago, Juancho Mahusay