No communication in Albay 1st district following Rolly onslaught —Lagman

Five out of six local government units in the first district of Albay are inaccessible through all forms of communication after Super Typhoon Rolly hit the province on Sunday, according to Representative Edcel Lagman.

Lagman reported that except for Sto. Domingo town, the municipalities of Bacacay, Malinao, Malilipot, and Tiwi, as well as Tabaco City, have no communication lines.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5 was raised over these areas, with Super Typhoon Rolly making its second landfall over Tiwi on Sunday.

Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman even had to go to Legazpi City to make her initial report, the lawmaker said.

According to Mayor Lagman's report, almost 50% of residential houses in Tabaco City are in various stages of damage and 50% of the houses in San Miguel Island are totally destroyed.

At the same time, 90% of the fishing boats used by residents for livelihood were washed out and completely destroyed.

The roof of the city's public market was ripped off, as well as the century-old Manalang House, or Bahay na Bato, built in the 1800s and declared a heritage house in 2007.

The roofing of the 17th century Tabaco Catholic Parochial Church was also blown off.

Around 7,000 families or 25,000 individuals of Tabaco City were evacuated, with many of them having no homes to go back to anymore due to Super Typhoon Rolly.

"Aside from food supplies, medicines and hygiene kits, there is crucial need for roofing and housing materials for indigent and marginalized families," Rep. Lagman said.

At least 16 individuals in Bicol Region have died following the onslaught of Tropical Storm Rolly, of which 10 were from Albay.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also reported that more than two million individuals from 12 regions have been affected by the tropical cyclone.

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to visit Legazpi City and other areas ravaged by Super Typhoon Rolly later in the day.—AOL, GMA News