Northern Samar under state of calamity due to Typhoon Ambo aftermath

MANILA, Philippines– The Northern Samar government declared the whole province under a state of calamity due to damage brought by Typhoon Ambo.

The provincial council decided this in a session following the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Wednesday, May 20, according to a text message from the Northern Samar Provincial Information Office to Rappler.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer (PDRRMO) Rei Josiah Echano pegged Typhoon Ambo’s damage to infrastracture at P127.2 million, with damage to agriculture estimated to be more than P132 million.

A total of 521,203 individuals in the province have been affected by the typhoon. The numbers are expected to rise as reports of damage from other municipalities have yet to be received by the PDRRMO.

Aside from Northern Samar, 9 towns in Eastern Samar have already declared a state of calamity as they reel from Typhoon Ambo’s wrath days after its landfall in the area on Thursday, May 14.

These are Eastern Samar towns Arteche, San Policarpo, Jipapad, Oras, Maslog, Dolores, Can-avid, Taft and Sulat.

Several towns in both provinces are already feeling the heavy blow of Typhoon Ambo, on top of the coronavirus outbreak.

With disaster funds nearly depleted by coronavirus preparations, several local government officials and groups have called on the public for help as they try to recover from the trail of destruction left by the Philippines’ first typhoon this year. (READ: #ReliefPH: Help badly-hit towns recover from Typhoon Ambo)

According to the Philippine News Agency, the Northern Samar provincial government will be realigning a total of P110 million to fund its recovery efforts.

However, it will still need help from various national government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, to fund recovery programs especially for farmers in the province who were badly affected by the typhoon.

As of Thursday, May 21, there are no confirmed coronavirus cases in the province. – Rappler.com