‘Usman’ death toll now 122; 1816-M damage to agri sector

The death and destruction to property brought by tropical depression "Usman" that made landfall in Eastern Samar on Dec. 29 and left the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Dec. 31, continues to rise, now counting 122 dead, 28 missing, and 1816 million damage and losses in agriculture.

The death toll of 122 persons, as of 12 noon Thursday, was reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday, from the regions of CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon), MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol, and Eastern Visayas.

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Director for Operations Director and NDRRMC spokesman Edgar Posadas also reported 28 missing and 60 persons injured.

Posadas said the NDRRMC is still validating the reported 122

1816-M damages

Damages and losses brought about by Usman increased to 1816.17 million, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Department of Agriculture Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operation Center at 8 p.m. Wednesday, a report from the Philippine News Agency said.

The estimated volume of production loss was 18,634 metric tons (MT) and damaged agricultural areas was 40,075 hectares affecting 36,902 farmers and fisherfolk in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Northern Samar and Samar.

The DA explained that the 1431.21million losses reported earlier “does not include the report from Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) due to lack of details on the value of production loss with only the area affected being reported.”

The increase in value now includes 1124.90 million worth of rice, vegetables and livestock with 5,385 hectares of damaged agricultural areas affecting 5,921 farmers in Eastern Visayas alone, the DA noted.

For palay, around 1732.48 million were recorded damaged with 15,633 MT volume production loss.

Some 33,783 hectares were destroyed, affecting 30,422 farmers in the provinces of Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, and Samar, the report said.

75,326 families affected

Meanwhile, NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, said that 75,326 families or 308,491 persons from 624 barangays in the affected areas.

Of the families affected, 6,217 families or 30,960 persons are being served inside 210 evacuation centers.

He said a total of 2,896 houses were damaged.

Casualties in Bicol

The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Bicol said Camarines Sur has 57 casualties and 20 missing; Albay with 18 casualties and 3 missing; Camarines Norte with 15 casualties; Sorsogon with 8 casualties and Masbate with 7.

According to OCD-Bicol, there were at least 53 recorded injuries, due to landslide.

Among the areas affected, the town of Sagñay had the highest number of casualties after a portion of a mountain in Sitio Garang and Sitio Igot eroded and buried houses during the height of Usman.

Arwin Razo, assistant regional director for operations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol, said the area has been reached by their personnel through the help of the Philippine Coast Guard.

Duterte to visit Camarines Sur

President Duterte is scheduled to visit Camarines Sur today to extend relief assistance to the families affected by the latest calamity.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President was saddened by the death and destruction

left by the powerful storm and wanted to look into the condition of the calamity victims.

"We're scheduled to visit tomorrow sa Bicol area, sa Camarines Sur," Panelo said during a Palace press briefing.

"We will check on the stricken areas para malaman natin kung ano pa kailangan gawin [to determine what more we must do]," he added.

Panelo said the President was satisfied with the government's disaster preparedness and relief operations in the typhoon-hit areas, citing that agencies did their best to prepare for the storm.

But he said the government would still improve the disaster mitigation efforts to minimize casualty and destruction in case of another storm. (With reports from Genalyn Kabiling and Niño Luces)