Urduja death toll climbs to 41; 45 more missing

The death toll from tropical cyclone Urduja has climbed to 41 and feared to increase as 45 are still missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Tuesday morning.

NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan said 28 of those reported dead were from Biliran, five from Leyte, three from Masbate, two from Samar, and one each in Eastern Samar, Surigao del Norte, and Camarines Sur.

Marasigan clarified that the reported deaths have yet to be confirmed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The NDRRMC's data on the death toll in Biliran has yet to be updated with that of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

Jun Dacillo, head of Biliran PDRRMO, earlier said in a radio interview that their death count in the province was already at 33 with the recovery of 10 bodies during retrieval operations in Barangay Lucsoon in Naval town.

Marasigan, meanwhile, reported that a total of 12,682 families or 57,691 people are still staying in 381 evacuation centers in Mimaropa, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Caraga.

She also said that only 118 passengers, five vessels, eight motor bancas were stranded in Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Western Visayas.

Marasigan said the government has shelled out P41,185,423.80 assistance for affected residents.

She said the NDRRMC has recorded P543 million worth of damage to infrastructure while P3 million damage to agriculture due to Urduja, which has finally exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The NDRRMC announced on Monday night that it is already preparing for another possible cyclone spotted east of Mindanao, which is projected to enter the PAR on Wednesday. —ALG, GMA News