FOR all its wrath, typhoon Lawin's total death toll was eight. While typhoon Karen, which came earlier at a slightly weaker scale killed no one. Considering the extent of the typhoon, its effects and damages, these were not ordinary typhoons that passed.
Karen made landfall over Baler, Aurora at 2:30 a.m. of October 16 with typhoon warning no. 3 raised over the provinces of Pangasinan, Northern Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Northern Queon including Polillo Island, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Catanduanes, and Camarines Norte. Karen left PAR at 4 a.m. of October 17.
A total of 8,123 families/39,934 persons were pre-emptively evacuated in Regions 1, 2, 3, Calabarzon, and 5, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on its final report last October 20.
A total of 70,169 families/300,386 persons were affected in Regions 1, 2, 3, Calabarzon, 5, and CAR of which 1,772 families/7,187 person were still inside 80 evacuation centers as of October 20. A total of 48 road sections and 23 bridges in Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and CAR were reported not passable due to flooding, landslides, and rock slides.
Typhoon Lawin, meanwhile, gained Super Typhoon strength with maximum sustained winds of 225 kph and gustiness of 315 kph at 1 p.m. of October 19 raising TCWS no. 5 (highest warning signal) over Cagayan, Isabela, Kalinga, Apayao, Northern Abra, and Ilocos Norte. It made landfall at Penablanca, Cagayan at 11 p.m. and weakened to a typhoon at 4 a.m. of October 20 with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of 230 kph as it traversed Apayao. It left at 10 p.m. of October 20.
A total of 31,751 families/158,736 persons were pre-emptively evacuated in Regions 1, 2, 3, Calabarzon, 5, and CAR. A total of 33,183 families/158,863 persons were served inside and outside evacuations: 8,761 families/37,922 persons inside 220 evacuation centers, and 24,422/129,941 persons outside evacuation centers. Eight were reported dead and one injured in CAR. All who died were due to landslide.
A total of 46,257 houses were damaged with 6,551 destroyed. While, a total of 87 road sections (76 national and 11 local) and 19 bridges (10 national and 9 local) were reported not passable due to flooding and slides in Regions 1, 2, 3, and CAR, the NDRRMC reported in its final report last October 24.
From all these figures, it is clear that the twin typhoons had the capability of causing major damage. But preparedness and on the ground worked reduced the death count. We can even say that typhoon Karen may yet be among the very few typhoons of that strength and damage to property that had zero-casualty.
What's different, we may ask. One thing is sure, there are people on the ground working and making sure that even the most recalcitrant resident is moved away from harm. This is what happens when the everyone works together with nary jockeying for position to get the credit. There was just the work on hand, it was people caring for their communities and their fellowmen, it was the spirit of Bayanihan with no photo ops and credit-grabbing. It works.