Nearly 300,000 people affected by Typhoon Lando – NDRRMC

MANILA, Philippines – Nearly 300,000 people across 7 regions in Luzon have been affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Lando (Koppu) since it made landfall over the weekend, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

In a media briefing on Tuesday, October 20, NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan said 60,170 families or 290,797 persons have been affected by the heavy rains and widespread flooding caused by the typhoon in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Out of this number, 15,603 families are currently sheltered inside 376 evacuation centers.

At least 12 people have been confirmed killed due to the typhoon, Marasigan said. The fatalities came from Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and NCR. An earlier report said at least 16 people had died because of the typhoon.

Impassable roads, damage

Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said it has recorded 497 reports of flooding incidents across affected regions.

Government officials are also working to restore power in Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Kalinga, and Mountain Province.

Road clearing operations are also underway, with a total of 73 road sections and 24 bridges remaining impassable to vehicles in Mountain Province, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, and Pangasinan.

According to initial reports, the NDRRMC pegged the cost of damage to agriculture in Regions I, II and CAR at P182.71 million. 

A total of 1,693 houses in these regions have also been damaged. (READ: Typhoon Lando: ‘Nearly 100%’ infra damage in Casiguran)

As of 11 am on Tuesday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Lando had weakened further into a tropical storm as it moves slowly towards Calayan and Babuyan group of islands.

Storm warning signals remain in effect over 10 areas in northern and central Luzon. – Rappler.com