‘Sendong’ death toll now 957

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Updated 8:17 a.m.) -- The death toll from Tropical Storm Sendong (international codename: Washi) rose to 957, data from the national disaster council showed.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in its 6 a.m. Tuesday report said 957 were dead, 1,582 were injured and 49 others remain missing due to Sendong.

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NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the number of fatalities increased after more bodies were recovered in Cagayan de Oro.

Cagayan de Oro City's 25 barangays and 21 barangays from Iligan City were the hardest hit by the storm.

Water shortage

Residents of Cagayan de Oro City, which is now under state of calamity, have more than the battered houses, dead bodies, and missing relatives to deal with: water shortage.

Major water facilities of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (Cowd) were damaged by the flash flood brought by Sendong. The water district supplies 50 percent of the water needs of the city.

Another 30 percent of the city’s water needs is provided by bulk delivery, but this has been suspended. All in all, the city has lost 80 percent of its potable water supply system.

Water hydrants are being used at the moment, but this will not last long. Bottled water in stores is also running out.

The appeal for those who have the means to bring in relief goods is to prioritize clean, drinking water.

The Cowd said it will take at least a month to repair what were destroyed.

In a special session on Monday, the Cagayan de Oro City Council passed and approved a resolution inviting officials of Cowd, Department of Trade and Industries, Department of Social Welfare and Development and other concerned agencies to give updates on the status of water supply and prices of commodities, among others.

The flag at the Cagayan de Oro City Hall has been put in half-mast in sympathy to those who died in the incident.

Mass burial

Meanwhile, Iligan Mayor Lawrence Cruz said Monday he was suggesting a mass burial because of health concerns. Apart from the decomposing bodies, dead livestock lie scattered in the mud.

The proposed mass burial was opposed by the Department of Health (DOH), saying unclaimed corpses pose no health risks.

Among the diseases commonly associated with dead bodies include Hepatitis A, B, and C, salmonella, cholera, and rotavirus diarrhea.

The agency "does not recommend mass burials" for unclaimed corpses, DOH National Epidemiology Center Director Dr. Eric Tayag said. "Kung natatakot sila sa mga patay na katawan, na baka health hazard siya, walang health hazard yun. It’s dead kasi kaya baka isipin delikado, wala naman po."

He added that individual burials are better because it will help relatives to "move forward" from the sudden death of their loved ones.

"Bigyan ng mourning ang surviving families so they can move-on kasi may psychological effect yun e if they are not able to identify their dead and bury them properly," said Tayag.

Local officials have been forced to propose mass burials after funeral homes have been unable to process newly recovered corpses. (Sunnex)