Typhoon Labuyo toll now 8

MANILA, Philippines — The number of people who died due to Typhoon Labuyo (Utor) has risen to 8, while damage to property and agriculture now top P923 million, the government reported Thursday, August 15.

A reported fatality in Dingalan, Aurora brought the toll to 8, while the number of missing people was lowered to 4, the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its 5 am report Thursday.

An earlier missing person report from Mercedes, Camarines Norte, has been removed form the list of casualties. According to the local DRRM office, the incident was not related to the typhoon.

The NDRRMC reported an increase in the affected population, now numbering 61,448 families (281,686 people) across 87 towns and 5 cities in 16 provinces across 5 regions in Luzon.

“The number of affected families/persons in Region II almost doubled,” the NDRRMC said. “Likewise, the affected population in Region III and [Cordillera Administrative Region] increased.”

Six evacuation centers remain open, the agency said, down from 122 opened after the typhoon. Only 151 families (658 people) remain in these centers; they said 12,829 families (58,797 people) have opted to “stay with friends’/relatives’ houses.”

Damage to infrastructure and agriculture is still at P932 million, from 4 regions (Regions I, II, III and CAR).

The NDRRMC report also noted a significant increase in the number of damaged houses in Regions II and III. In total, 12,090 homes were damaged in the 5 affected regions.

Thirty-one roads in northern and central Luzon are still impassable, most due to flooding, rockslides, landslides, or collapsed sections. Only 6 bridges, found in regions I and III, remain impassable.

The provinces of Aurora and Quirino, and the towns of Candelaria, Sta Cruz, and Masinloc in Zambales, remain under a state of calamity. – Rappler.com