‘Basyang’ death toll rises to 8; residents affected reach 40,751

BUTUAN CITY – As floods subside in several areas in Caraga region, the regional monitoring and action center of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-13) has recorded an increasing number of casualties due to Tropical Depression Basyang (international name: Sanba).

As of press time, the DSWD-13 has recorded a total of 25 casualties with eight people dead, 15 injured and two missing.

The latest report of the agency also showed a total of 9,847 families or 40,751 persons from four provinces with 32 municipalities, a city and 131 barangays in Caraga.

Meanwhile, thousands of residents have started to return to their homes starting Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD Region 13) Director MitaChuchi G. Lim said theDSWD already augmented a total of 5,196 family food packs (FFPs) to the affected local government units worth R1,500,975.68 and non-food items worth R1,308,163.50.

“We are still extending (evacuees) more family food packs to the affected families through the local government units (LGUs),” said Lim in an exclusive interview with The Manila Bulletin on Thursday. She said relief operation is still ongoing in some evacuation centers.

A total of 6,000 food packs are still at the DSWD 13 regional warehouse here for distribution in various LGUs who will ask for additional support.

“The evacuees were properly attended to by their immediate needs while they were at the evacuation centers until they went back home,” Lim said.

Meanwhile, the different LGUs in the five provinces and six cities in Caraga region are still assessing the damage both in infrastructure and agriculture.