Fallen electric posts hampering delivery of help to typhoon-hit Albay —governor

Local officials are having a hard time entering areas affected by Tropical Storm Rolly — which reached super typhoon level over the weekend — in Albay province due to fallen electric posts blocking the roads, Governor Al Francis Bichara said Monday.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, Bichara specifically mentioned the town of Tiwi, where Rolly made its first landfall before dawn on Sunday. The governor also said some areas in the province are still submerged in floodwater.

"Well, lahat naman ng bayan tinamaan lalo na doon sa first landfall... sa ngayon nahihirapan kaming pumasok doon sa lugar na 'yun dahil nakabalanban lahat ng poste ng kuryente sa mga kalye," Bichara said.

"May mga lugar na baha pa din, nakalubog pa 'yung mga bahay... maliban doon sa nalubog na mga bahay sa kalye sa Mayon, 'yung lahar," he added.

Bichara said local officials continue to consolidate reports about the number of casualties in the province.

In Guinobatan, hundreds of houses were submerged in lahar. Bichara said authorities are searching for at least three individuals who may have returned to their houses despite being preemptively evacuated.

"Wala ng ire-rescue doon kasi nag-evacuate naman lahat pero may bumalik doon para siguro tignan 'yung mga hayop eh nalunod sila, pero may mga hinahanap pa, mga tatlo, hindi ko pa ma-confirm, hindi pa nila ma-confirm kung namatay ito o napunta sa ibang lugar," Bichara said.

The Office of Civil Defense V has reported that 10 people in Bicol died due to Rolly, nine of them from Albay while the other one was from Catanduanes.

Bichara appealed to the national government to help them in providing assistance to affected families. He said funds have already been used for COVID-19 response efforts as well as in addressing the effects of Typhoon Quinta.

"Kailangan namin ng tulong... siyempre 'yung mga local government ay ginastos na sa COVID 'yung pera pagkatapos dumating 'yung Quinta ngayon naman 'yung Rolly," he said.

"'Yung iba halos walang ginagastos, kakaunti na 'yung natira eh may mga naiwan pa sa evacuation dahil nakalubog pa 'yung bahay sa tubig. So kailangan namin ng tulong..." he added. —KBK, GMA News