'Ofel' death toll climbs to 24

TROPICAL Storm "Ofel" left the country with at least 24 fatalities and thousands of affected families, the state disaster agency said Saturday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said among the new casualties were five individuals who were previously reported as missing: Fronda Jonnie Ocson, 8; Muhammad Kanape Guiamad, 11; Bonifacio Caran, 51; Rolando Chavez, and Jony Barrientos.

Also reported dead were two employees of the Department of Education in Romblon identified as Eve Pajutag, 56; and Grace Mallorca, 51.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the two government employees are among the 55 passengers on board a motorized boat which capsized in the vicinity of Puyo, Calatrava Island in Romblon on Friday afternoon.

All the passengers were rescued by the PCG but Pajutag and Mallorca were retrieved unconscious and were later pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital.

The other reported fatalities and the cause of their deaths are as follows:

Died due to drowning:
Roberto Manongsong of Batangas City
Raffy Mantal, 11, Marinduque
Rigel Saycon,18, Cebu
Monalyn Magbanua, 14, Oriental Mindoro
June Saez, 38, Oriental Mindoro.

Hit by fallen trees or debris:
Princess Najera, 4, Batangas
Dennis Panaligan, 18, Mataywanak
Solustiano Febellon, 77, Romblon
Mary Joy Doblin, 5, Masbate
Shiela Mae Resaba, 4, Sarangani.

Died in landslide incidents:
Nemmy Dapa, 12, Batangas
Olive Luna, 4, Oriental Mindoro
Ruben Tabura, 56, Talisay City

Died in a flashflood:
Delia Catel, 70, Cotabato

Electrocuted:
Maximinio De Villa, 49, Batangas
Margarita De Villa, 42, Batangas

Died due to hypothermia:
Sofia Recto, 88, Marinduque

The NDRRMC said at least nine people are also missing while 19 others are injured. The agency added that Ofel has affected a total of 14,693 families or about 66,768 individuals.

Ofel also left with an estimated amount of P36.6 million damages both to infrastructure and agriculture. A total of 117 houses were also damaged by the tropical storm.

At least 12 municipalities or cities in Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna are still flooded as of Friday evening while some areas in Oriental Mindoro and Marinduque are experiencing a power interruption.(Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)