The number of dead during tropical storm Sendong’s onslaught has reached 334, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
In its 8:00 p.m. report Sunday (December 18), the NDRRMC said 281 people remain missing while 431 were either rescued or survived. Meanwhile, a total of 4,404 houses were damaged.
According to Philippine Red Cross, the death toll has reached 497. The breakdown of figures is as follows: Cagayan De Oro City with 215 dead and Iligan with 195. Other areas with casualties were Bukidnon, 47; Compostela Valley 5; Zamboanga Del Norte, 3; Lanao del Norte, 9; Surigao Del Sur; 1 and Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, 22.
The Red Cross also reported earlier 202 injured and 162 others missing.
While floodwater has subsided, many families still remained at the evacuation centers while they try to fix and clean their damaged homes from thick mud.
PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang said Red Cross is appealing for help from corporate partners so they can provide more family Christmas packs for the affected residents. Each pack should include priority needs such as food, clothing, sleeping materials, blankets and school supplies and footwear for the children.
The NDRRMC said that as of 5:00 p.m. Sunday, there were 377 passengers stranded in Regions IV-B and VI.
A total of 9 road sections and bridges were damaged; 4 road sections in Regions CAR and CARAGA; and 5 bridges in Regions VII and X
As of 5:17 p.m., sixty percent of power has been restored in Cagayan de Oro.
Some power lines of National Grid Corporation have been reportedly destroyed.
About seventy percent of power was interrupted in the province of Negros Oriental, affecting water, communication, and transportation facilities. There are still power outages in Tanjay and Siaton, Negros Oriental
Likewise, Valencia City, Iligan City, and Ozamiz City are still experiencing power interruptions.
Meanwhile, in the CARAGA region, there’s no power in the municipalities of Lianga, San Agustin, Marihatag, Bayabas, San Miguel, Cagwait, Tago, Cortes, Carmen, Madrid, Lanuasa, Lingig and the City of Tandag in the province of Agusan del Sur.
Cebu Pacific has cancelled flights to Virac and Air Philippines to Tuguegarao due to bad weather.
Local governments that have declared state of calamities were Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental and the Municipality of Valencia in the same province.
