GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
ADVERTISEMENT
Filtered By: Topstories
News
NDRRMC: 'Sendong' death toll breaches 600 mark
+
Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google.
(Updated 1:45 p.m.) The death toll from Tropical Storm Sendong (Washi) has breached the 600 mark as of noon Monday, days after the storm lashed Mindanao and the Visayas, the chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
In its noon update, the NDRRMC said the death toll stood at 632 after many of those earlier reported to be missing were found dead. A total of 82 people remained missing, the NDRRMC said.
NDRRMC head Benito Ramos, who went to Cagayan de Oro City for a firsthand look at the devastation, earlier said the fatalities included 580 in Region 10 alone.
Region 10 is where Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities, two of the hardest-hit areas, are located.
The NDRRMC's noon update said Sendong had affected 26,928 families or 142,961 people in 190 villages in 24 towns and eight cities in 13 provinces.
Of these, 8,128 families or 44,976 people are staying in 47 evacuation centers.
A total of 1,448 houses were destroyed while 5,469 were damaged.
On the other hand, at least four road sections in Cordillera and Caraga, and five bridges in Central Visayas and Region 10 remain damaged.
In an earlier radio interview, Ramos said they are not yet discounting the possibility of survivors being found.
"In our experience, we would still find survivors eight days after a tragedy," he said.
Meanwhie, Ramos said the Christmas party of the Office of the Civil Defense in Region 10 has been cancelled in the wake of Sendong.
Ramos also suggested that those going to Christmas parties send their gifts to evacuation centers instead.
"Yung OCD sa Region 10 may Christmas party, pina-cancel ko lahat. Malungkot ang sitwasyon (I had the Office of the Civil Defense in Region 10's Christmas party canceled. The situation in the region is very sad)," Ramos said in an interview on dzBB radio.— RSJ, GMA News
