MANILA, Philippines – At least 12 died in the province of Eastern Samar as a result of Tropical Depression Ruby (Hagupit), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II said on Tuesday, December 9.

Roxas, in an interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel, said the figure came from the province’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer. 

Government is still in the process of consolidating reports on casualties due to Ruby.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has an official tally of 8 deaths nationwide caused by Ruby as of its situation report of 3 pm, December 9.

In an earlier press conference, however, NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense administrator Undersecretary Alexander Pama said at least 11 deaths had been tallied, but said some of them were still being verified.

The Philippine National Red Cross has a higher death toll of 27, based on initial reports. Most of the deaths reported by the Red Cross are from the province of Samar.

Pama earlier explained that while the council was collating information from the ground, they could only include in their official report the casualties validated by the Department of Health.

Ruby, which started out as a super typhoon, eventually loss strength as it made its way across the Visayas and Luzon. It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Wednesday, December 10.

Roxas has been in Eastern Samar since before Ruby made landfall, as part of national government’s “National Frontline Team.”

The NDRRMC reports that Ruby affected close to 2 million people in the country, unleashing its wrath in towns and cities still reeling from the effects of 2013’s Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Power is still out in the province of Eastern Samar, Roxas said, but mobile communication lines have since been restored.

In a separate statement, Presidential Spokesman Secretary Edwin Lacierda said relief operations continue in the worst-hit Eastern Visayas region, even as government workers continue clearing major supply routes.

Some 804 evacuation centers are still occupied in the entire region, housing some 93,000 families, said Lacierda, who flew into the province alongside with Roxas.

Lacierda said Eastern Samar was “now past the emergency phase” and that the team had begun collating reports on damage caused by Ruby “in order to begin the process of building back better.” – Rappler.com