Ineng death toll climbs to 22

MANILA, Philippines - The number of people killed due to Typhoon Ineng has climbed to 22 as damage to agriculture and infrastructure reached nearly P470 million, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday.

The latest fatalities were Randy Dawaton, 24, who drowned in Kalinga, and Efren Balicdan, 29, who died in a landslide in Mankayan, Benguet. The typhoon left 23 people injured and 15 others missing.

The NDRRMC said the typhoon destroyed P421.67 million worth of infrastructure while damage to agriculture hit P47.95 million.

The Ilocos region bore the brunt of the typhoon’s impact, sustaining P368 million worth of damage. La Union recorded P235.59 million worth of agriculture and infrastructure damage.

Cordillera region and Cagayan Valley posted damage to agriculture and infrastructure worth P86.54 million and P14.99 million, respectively.

Ineng destroyed 1,638 houses in Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Ilocos Norte was declared under a state of calamity following the typhoon. The declaration allowed the local government to tap its calamity funds to assist the affected residents.

A total of 102,488 people or 23,965 families were displaced in Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Cordillera. Of the displaced residents, 11,115 individuals or 2,727 families are still housed in evacuation centers.

The NDRRMC said 37 roads in Ilocos and Cordillera regions are still not passable two days after Ineng left the Philippine area of responsibility.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, local governments and non-government organizations have provided P5.5 million in assistance to typhoon-hit areas.