FOUR people were left dead and eight were reported missing as Typhoon Ursula (Phanfone) barrelled through Iloilo province on Christmas day.
According to the reports of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) during their emergency meeting Wednesday, December 25, six towns of Iloilo have been badly affected by the typhoon leaving several deaths and missing persons and flash floods in different areas.
Of the fatalities, Balasan town has reported three people namely John Dial from Pilar, Capiz who drowned and was later found in Dolunan, Balasan; Danilo Abelliano; and Henry Alfuente who died of cardiac arrest.
Batad town has one fatality identified only as Boby from Barangay Dueñas.
Batad has also six reported missing persons namely Roel de Asis, male, 41; Meme de Asis, female, 15; Moymoy de Asis, male, 10; Yanyan de Asis, female, 3; Angga, female, 13; Dagol, male, minor, all from Barangay Pasayan.
The PDRRMC in its partial and official report also reported Glen Deosco of Barangay Tinigban, Carles town and Gerard Maning of Barangay Agtambo, Passi City missing.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor said they are still validating the additional news of fatalities being reported.
The towns affected by the typhoon were identified as San Dionisio, Balasan, Batad, Sara, Passi City, and Concepcion mostly in Northern and Central Iloilo.
Flash floods due to heavy rains were reported in several towns of Northern Iloilo.
A total of 400 families with 1,627 people are reported to be in the evacuation sites in the towns of San Dionisio and Concepcion.
Communication has been reported as a problem in some areas.
In other areas hit by the typhoon, several villages were flooded, landslides were reported, trees felled, roofs blown away and scores of structures were damaged.
The powerful typhoon hit land seven times as it slammed into central Philippines with devastating winds and torrential rains.
Relief operation for evacuation centers
Governor Arthur Defensor in a press conference said the Provincial Government is now preparing for a relief operation that will be sent to the towns affected by the damage of Typhoon Ursula.
The governor said despite reports of communication problems from the affected town, he is waiting for additional reports that will be sent to the PDRRMC.
Defensor who upon his arrival from Manila, Wednesday, December 25, went directly to the Provincial Capitol and called for an emergency meeting with the Disaster Cluster and Iloilo PDRRMC in order to mobilize the disaster operations and immediately respond to the damage caused by tropical typhoon “Ursula”, especially in Northern Iloilo.
"We are preparing for possible relief operations based on our stock of relief goods and what we can procure faster like can goods, noodles, and rice," Defensor said.
However, the Provincial Government according to the governor through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) should know the status of the problems of the affected towns badly hit by the typhoon.
Defensor said there are still many unconfirmed reports coming in, however, he said his office still waiting for the official reports so they can send the exact relief goods or if the province needs to send relief goods since the affected municipalities have already done their own relief operations.
"The province will augment for the relief operations if needed and we will do it with the members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management," Defensor said.
The Provincial Government is now looking at the evacuation centers for the augmentation of its relief goods especially on the five towns of the 5th District in Northern Iloilo.
Defensor added that they are consolidating official casualty reports from the towns of Northern Iloilo.
"We have six missings and search and rescue have been ongoing in the town of Batad," Defensor said.
He said he tasks the PSWDO to get the official figures from the municipalities so that he would know what is the level of help he can give.
The Iloilo government is preparing medicines for hospitals and health centers for possible Leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that affects people and animals. It can pass from animals to humans when an open wound comes in contact with water or soil where animal urine is present especially rats.
Defensor urges the people of the affected towns to be cautious about their safety and follow the announcement of the different agencies of the government especially those who are at the evacuation centers. (SunStar Philippines)