AT LEAST 6,000 individuals were left homeless following the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly (Goni) in the province of Albay, Governor Al Francis Bichara said on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Some houses situated along the coastline and riverside were totally wrecked when Typhoon Rolly barreled through the Bicol region as a super typhoon with violent winds of up to 225 kilometers per hour (kph).
Hundreds of houses also remained submerged in mud and debris after the typhoon’s intense rains triggered lahar or volcanic mudflow from Mayon Volcano.
"Until now, some of the houses are still submerged and they have to stay in evacuation centers," Bichara said in a television interview.
Bichara said there was still no power supply in the entire province as of Tuesday morning because transmission lines of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) were damaged. Restoration is expected in two weeks.
"More or less, according to the electric cooperative, within the Legazpi area and some neighboring towns, we may have electricity within two weeks time, but it depends on the NGCP if they can do the repair of the transmission lines and the towers," he said.
He said they do not have a problem with the water supply in the province while most of the road sections are already passable.
Bichara, however, sought the assistance of the national government for additional calamity funds in order to sustain the needs of the affected families.
He also asked for construction supplies to help their residents rebuild their houses.
"Kaunti na lang, we only have about P60 million para sa calamity for the next two months (We only have P60 million in calamity funds left),” he said.
"Sa dami ng taong walang bahay, they are all in (the) evacuation center, so we need more than that," he added.
“Rolly" made its second landfall in Tiwi, Albay at around 7 a.m. Sunday, November 1, around two hours after its first landfall in Bato, Catanduanes at 4:50 a.m.
Although it had slightly weakened to 215 kph during its second landfall, its winds and torrential rainfall were just as destructive. (SunStar Philippines)