MANILA, Philippines – The wrath of Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun) in the Philippines claimed the lives of at least 97 people, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its update 6 am update on Monday, July 21.

Region IV-A or the Calabarzon region tallied the most deaths at 70, with Quezon reporting the most deaths among all the provinces affected by the storm.

NDRRMC chief Alexander Pama earlier said Quezon seemed to be the worst hit by the typhoon, which made landfall in the Philippines from July 15 to 17.

Pending another report from the social welfare and development department, the NDRRMC estimated Glenda affected more than 1.6 million people in the Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Eastern Samar, and the National Capital Region (NCR). Of those, more than 500,000 fled to evacuation centers.

Power, infra

More than 100,000 houses were damaged by Glenda as its estimated damage in agriculture rose to P6.4 billion pesos ($ 146 million)* in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Metro Manila, and the Cordillera Administrative Region as of a 6 pm update.

Infrastructure damage reached P1.1 billion ($ 24.6 million)* in 6 regions. The education department reported at least 71% of school divisions under the regions were affected by the typhoon. Almost half or 47% of those schools have since resumed classes.

The NDRRMC said the Luzon and Visayas grids were now interconnected, although several provinces and towns were still reporting power interruptions.

The following provinces and towns have been placed under a state of calamity, meaning the local government may impose a price freeze on basic commodities, among other things:

• Obando, Bulacan 
• Cavite
• Laguna 
• Rizal 
• Taal, Batangas 
• Cuenca, Batangas
• Sta Teresita, Batangas
• Laurel, Batangas
• Lamery, Batangas 
• San Nicolas, Batangas 
• Padre Garcia, Batangas 
• Ibaan, Batangas 
• Malvar, Batangas 
• Batangas City 
• Albay 
• Camarines Sur 
• Tigaon, Camarinus Sur 
• Bula, Camarines Sur 
• Naga City 
• Samar

Muntinlupa City in NCR and Camarines Norte have also been declared to be under a state of calamity. – Rappler.com

*US$1 = P43.4