(UPDATED) THE number of casualties from Typhoon Ursula (international name Phanfone) has continued to increase, with the latest death toll reported at 47 and the number of injured persons at 143.
As of 6 a.m. Monday, December 30, 2019, 9 individuals remained missing.
In its situation report as of 6 a.m. Monday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the highest number of fatalities was reported in Western Visayas, or Region 6, at 26.
Most, or 16, of the dead were from Iloilo province. Capiz and Aklan each reported five fatalities.
Eastern Visayas, or Region 8, followed with 13 dead: Eastern Samar and Leyte, with 5 each; and Southern Leyte, Biliran and Samar, with 1 each.
Central Visayas, or Region 7, reported one fatality.
Mimaropa region reported seven dead, five in Oriental Mindoro and two in Occidental Mindoro.
Among the fatalities in Mimaropa were the three crew members of motorbanca M/B Marvin Kristopher, which capsized at 3 a.m. of December 25, 2019 due to strong winds from Typhoon Ursula.
Three of the 14 crew died while the rest managed to swim towards the coast of Barangay Maujao, Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro.
Another fisherman died after his boat was believed to have been damaged by the typhoon's powerful winds. He was found in the waters of Barangay Ansiray, Ilin in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
Two other fishermen were still missing as of Sunday. Their boats, F/B Athan 3 and F/B Athan 4, were last seen in the vicinity of Barangay Caminawit in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
Meanwhile, fire caused by an unattended candle in Tacloban City, Leyte injured one person, who sustained second and third-degree burns.
The typhoon cut off power transmission lines, plunging several areas into darkness on December 24, 2019.
The fire in Tacloban affected 24 families, or 99 persons, who are temporarily staying at the Anibong Elementary School. A total of 10 houses in Barangay 66, Paseo de Legaspi were damaged.
The typhoon exited the Philippines on December 28, 2019. When it slammed into central Philippines, it was packing winds of 140 to 195 kilometers per hour with intense rains.
The typhoon struck the same areas devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in November 2013. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)