3 Cebu towns under state of calamity due to Seniang, damage could reach P1B

Three towns in Cebu have been placed under a state of calamity due to Tropical Storm Seniang, even as the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office estimated the damage from Seniang on the province could reach P1 billion.

 

Under a state of calamity were Ronda, Dumanjug and Alcantara towns, GMA Cebu's Bexmae Jumao-as reported Thursday.

 

PDRRMO head Baltazar Tribunalo said bridges and roads in some towns in the province were damaged.

 

"P500 (million) to P1 billion ang damage dahil sa mga tulay, malaki ang pinsala. Hindi pa kasama ang mga malalaking kalsada sa Alegria, Alcoy at Dalaguete. Those are as I know, these were really landslide at 'yun sa Balamban, malaki rin ang pinsala roon," Tribunalo said.

 

Barangay Sinsin, Cebu City chairman Ramon Ylaya Jr. said he is worried residents could be isolated due to a landslide that affected the area's main road.

 

The local barangay asked the Department of Engineering and Public Works to map out alternate routes.

 

"Wala tayong magagawa kundi maglagay ng riprap katulad sa Sitio Nangka na na-landslide noon, na okay naman hanggang ngayon," Ylaya said.

18 dead
 

For its part, the OCD in Central Visayas estimated up to 18 people in the region may have died in Seniang's wake.

 

Citing the OCD's figures, the GMA Cebu report said 537 families or 2,554 people in Bohol are staying in evacuation centers.

 

At least 81 houses in the region were destroyed while one was damaged. Six bridges are impassable, including three in Bohol, two in Cebu and one in Negros Oriental.

 

OCD regional director Olive Luces said they need to enhance the awareness of residents.

 

"They are already aware of the hazard but we still need to enhance their awareness," she said.

 

Meanwhile, 500 sacks of rice were brought to Ronda town in Cebu, while authorities sent medicines and food to those affected in the region.

38 roads, 20 bridges still impassable

 

At least 38 roads and 20 bridges in Visayas and Mindanao are still not passable at the start of the New Year due to Seniang, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

 

In its 6 a.m. update, the NDRRMC said these affected structures are in Western, Central and Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga.

 

Power interruptions are also being experienced in Western, Central and Eastern Visayas and in Caraga.

 

On the other hand, the NDRRMC said at least 10 remain stranded along with seven vessels and six motor bancas.

 

At least 365 houses were destroyed while 1,168 were damaged.

 

Meanwhile, the death toll remained at 54, with 40 injured and seven still missing.

 

The NDRRMC also said Seniang had affected 105,101 families or 486,512 people in Mimaropa, Western, Eastern and Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, and Caraga.

 

Seniang had battered the Visayas and Mindanao before eventually weakening into a low-pressure area as of Thursday. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News