(File photo)
MANILA – The damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by Super Typhoon Rolly has climbed to more than PHP11 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday.
In its update signed and released by executive director Ricardo Jalad, the damage to infrastructure due to "Rolly" was placed at PHP8,473,811,685.78 in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Meanwhile, damage to agriculture was estimated at PHP2,936,171,400 and these were incurred in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas.
Also, a total of 44,712 hectares of agricultural land was affected by the typhoon.
The NDRRMC also reported that 44,033 houses were damaged with 14,064 classified as "totally damaged" and 29,969 as "partially damaged". These were reported in Mimaropa, Bicol, and CAR.
The number of deaths now being validated remains at 20, with 165 reported injured and three missing in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol.
Meanwhile, NDRRMC officials and Regional DRRMCs met on Wednesday to discuss ongoing preparations for severe Tropical Storm Siony even as the government continues its relief response for "Rolly" victims.
During the meeting, the NDRRMC discussed preparedness measures with Regional DRRMCs for "Siony" including the release of a memorandum to all Department of the Interior and Local Government provincial directors for the implementation of preemptive evacuation in areas that are highly susceptible to storm surge, floods, and landslides; dissemination of warnings to areas to be affected; prepositioning of food, non-food items, and medicines in various strategic locations.
This also includes activation of medical teams from the different Department of Health hospitals for possible deployment; as well as guidance and memoranda issuance to RDRRMC member agencies and local DRRMCs on the stoppage of mining activities, tourism activities, and quarrying.
The Cordillera RDRRMC also reported preemptive evacuation in flood and landslide-prone areas in Apayao, Kalinga, and Benguet.
Transport assets such as Philippine Army trucks are on standby for possible augmentation to disaster operations as well as the Department of Public Works and Highways assets for clearing operations. (PNA)
