• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reported a total of 119 persons either dead or missing in Negros Island as of Nov. 8, several days after Typhoon Tino battered the island.
Of the 55 reported deaths, 20 have been verified while only five of the 64 missing persons were also verified, according to the DILG-Negros Island Region report.
The Canlaon City government in Negros Oriental recorded 19 deaths, with seven still missing as of Nov. 8.
In a report of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRMO) on Nov. 8, initial damage to infrastructure was placed at P408.6 million in Sipalay City, Bago City, Isabela, Binalbagan, and La Castellana alone while Moises Padilla reported more than P303 million losses also in infrastructure.
Based on the PDRRMO report, 1,957 houses were destroyed while 11,962 were partially damaged, affecting 539,301 residents in Negros Occidental.
Damage to agriculture and fisheries were reported at P35 million.
The Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) reported that 18 bridges collapsed in Bago City, La Carlota City, San Carlos City, Pontevedra, Binalbagan, La Castellana, and Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental as well as in Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.
The extent of the damage of Typhoon Tino was unexpected, with areas once identified as secure now considered hazardous, according to OCD-NIR.
With roads inaccessible and disruption in power and telecommunication services, communication with concerned local government units (LGUs) has been challenging.
Emergency operations center of several LGUs suffered outages, hampering coordinated response efforts, it added.
The OCD-NIR and the Department of Information and Communications Technology are now prioritizing the deployment of satellite connectivity to restore communication and enable a more effective coordination and response.
Due to Typhoon Uwan, classes have been suspended from Nov. 10 to 11 in Negros Occidental as ordered by the Office of the President, following the issuance of a preempted evacuation order by Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.
In Negros Oriental, Governor Manuel Sagarbarria said the suspension of classes measure aims to ensure the safety of all NegOrenses as the province braces for possible heavy rains, strong winds, and other hazards brought by the typhoon. | GB
