In Negros Oriental Over 10,000 families affected by Sendong

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – The number of families affected by typhoon Sendong has reached 10,420, according to a report, as of 10:20 a.m. yesterday, released by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) and the Office of Civil Defense-Region 7.

The number is lower than the 24,000 earlier reported by OCD during a PDRRMC meeting held the other day at the office of Governor Ruel Degamo in this city. The discrepancy was a result of further verification and field validation done by OCD-7 and PDRRMC of reports coming from floof-hit areas in the province.

PDRRMC set the death toll at 37 while 247 persons were reported injured and three still missing. Damage to agriculture was pegged at P37 million covering livestock, rice, corn, fisheries, and crops, among others. Infrastructure damage amounted to P388.5 million.

Torrential rains estimated to be more than a month’s worth of rainfall battered the province dawn of Saturday, Dec. 17, triggering flash floods.

Allan Cabaron, OCD provincial coordinator, reported to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council that the PDRRMC has issued a weather bulletin and typhoon warnings as early as Tuesday, Dec. 13.

On Wednesday, Dec. 14, the council, led by Gov. Degamo called for an emergency meeting to bolster the council’s preparations and emergency response mechanisms, Cabaron said.

A day after Sendong cut a swath of devastation across the province, Degamo, with the help of the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade, conducted an aerial survey to determine the extent of the storm’s damage on affected areas.

Relief efforts were likewise done by joint teams from the provincial and regional offices of the DSWD, while the DOH inspected evacuation centers to address health concerns of the evacuees.

The PDRRMC met again on Dec. 19 for the consolidation and finalization of the damage reports from affected areas and prepare the data needed by the Provincial Board in declaring the typhoon-affected LGUs under a state of calamity.

Negros Oriental Police director Edward Carranza, in his report to the RDRRMC, said search and rescue operations were also conducted throughout the affected LGUs by a total of 646 rescue groups.

Carranza said the groups consisted of teams from the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, Dumaguete City Police Station, Provincial Public Safety Company, 348 Rescue Team, Red Cross, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Army 302nd IBde, rescue volunteers, barangays officials and affected residents.

Around 354 police personnel and 20 police vehicles were utilized for the search and rescue operations and evacuation during and after the typhoon, he added. (FREEMAN)