THE death toll from the floods and landslides wrought by Tropical Depression Usman has increased to 68 in the Mimaropa, Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
In an update Monday, December 31, NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said 19 individuals were also reported missing while 12 were injured.
Due to the effects of Usman, the provinces of Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and municipalities of Polangui and Bulan in Albay have been placed under a state of calamity.
Majority of the fatalities were also recorded in the said areas due to landslides amid the continuous downpour.
Tropical Depression Usman, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Christmas day, brought heavy rains before hitting land in Borongan, Eastern Samar early Saturday.
At least 150 areas were flooded. The NDRRMC said at least 130,000 persons were affected in 321 barangays in Bicol and Eastern Visayas region.
In Camarines Sur, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) officer-in-charge Kris Rivero said floods and landslides in several areas such as Caramoan and Buhi hindered rescue and relief operations.
“Like for example, yung sanang assistance natin sa Buhi, hindi po kami makalusot habang hinihintay po namin matapos yung clearing operations sa Iriga at Buhi. Sa Caramoan, ganun din po,” he said.
Rivero also said that not all roads in the said province are passable although the flooding has slightly subsided.
He said the affected population refused to evacuate at the height of the tropical depression.
The NDRRMC assured assistance to the affected population. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has already provided P1.27 billion worth of food and non-food relief items. (SunStar Philippines)