MANILA, Philippines — The number of affected persons due to Typhoon Odette has risen to 1.8 million, the latest report from the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed.
As of Monday morning, the DSWD’s Disaster Response and Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) said it recorded 1,805,005 people or 452,307 families affected by Odette that hammered central Philippines over the weekend.
Related Stories
The affected families are from 3,286 barangays of Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, Mimaropa and Caraga regions, it added.
There are 438,359 persons or 109,914 families staying in 2,481 evacuation centers. While 193,043 people or 58,527 families are seeking temporary shelter with friends or relatives.
Destructive winds and floods due to Odette also partially damage 34,681 houses and totally wrecked 20,102 houses.
The DSWD DROMIC also noted that areas affected by Odette are experiencing power outage and limited internet access, “hence, the challenge in gathering data on affected population and other significant updates.”
“Ongoing assessment and validation are continuously being conducted,” it added.
The tally from the Philippine National Police meanwhile showed 208 fatalities due to Odette, with 239 others injured and 52 reported as missing.
The DSWD, local government units and non-government units have so far provided P14,575,980.31 of assistance to affected families.
LGUs are also continuously requesting help for affected communities. They also appeal for generator sets and fuel supplies, on top of drinking water, food, blankets and hygiene items. — Kristine Joy Patag