Sendong death toll nears 1000, more than double Ondoy fatalities

Published December 20, 2011 6:37am

(Updated 2:06 p.m.) The number of fatalities from Tropical Storm Sendong (international codename Washi) threatened to breach the 1,000 mark early Tuesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Tuesday morning before the scheduled visit of President Benigno Aquino III.

In its 6 a.m. update, the NDRRMC listed at least 957 people had been confirmed dead, with at least 49 still missing. This number is already double the number of fatalities from Typhoon Ondoy in 2009. Many of those who died last weekend lived along riverbanks or on islets in the middle of Cagayan de Oro River, which state geologists said should never have been inhabited. Cagayan de Oro recorded the highest number of deaths so far, with 579, which are already more than Ondoy's 464 fatalities. Many of those killed lived on Isla de Oro, an islet close to the banks of the heavily silted Cagayan de Oro River.

A total of 1,582 had been reported injured while 432 were rescued, the report added.

Also, the NDRRMC said "Sendong" had affected 63,079 families or 338,415 people in 260 villages in 30 towns and eight cities in 13 provinces.

Of these, 9,743 families or 42,733 people are being served in 62 evacuation centers.

Damage to property was estimated at P1,936,415, including P1,551,400 in agriculture in Caraga, and P385,015 in Bicol.

Meanwhile, NDRRMC also reported that at least six road sections in Cordillera and Caraga, and seven bridges in Central Visayas and Regions 10 and 11 were damaged.

Alex Uy, operations officer of the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, however, clarified that the roads in Apayao and Mountain Province in his region were damaged by strong rains even before Sendong entered the country.

"Bago pa dumating si Sendong, malakas na ang ulan dito. May mga lugar kung saan nagka-landslide, pero since last Saturday, maayos na iyon," he said in a phone interview.

Church donations for Sendong victims

Meanwhile, Filipino churchgoers offered prayers for victims of Sendong at a "Simbang Gabi" Mass on Tuesday at the Quiapo Church in Manila.

Many of the churchgoers also donated to the collections for the victims at the 4 a.m. Mass, according to a report by radio dzBB's Paulo Santos.

On Monday, the Manila Archdiocese said it will hold a second collection during Masses from Monday to Christmas Day for the victims of "Sendong."

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle issued the directive in a circular to priests, rectors and chaplains in the archdiocese.

"In the spirit of Christian solidarity, I request that a second collection be made at all Masses in all parishes, shrines, and communities in the Archdiocese of Manila from today until Christmas Day," he said in his Dec. 19 circular.

Such a calamity "saddens us and breaks our hearts, as it struck at the dawn of the Christmas season," he noted.

Donations in kind may be sent to Caritas Manila, he added.

The Manila Archdiocese covers the eight cities of Manila, Caloocan, Pasay, Quezon, Mandaluyong, Makati, Muntinlupa and Pasig (excluding the districts of Santolan and Rosario), and Parañaque, Malabon, San Juan, Navotas, Las Piñas, Taguig and Pateros, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines website. . — With Andreo C. Calonzo/ELR/KG/HS, GMA News

Tags: sendong, washi