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Reported death toll due to Paeng rises to 80 —NDRRMC


The death toll due to Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Naegi) has increased to 80 while at least 31 were left missing as of Sunday evening, data released by the government showed.

A situation report released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed that 38 of the deaths have already been confirmed, while the rest were still up for validation.

Most of the reported casualties were in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with 40, followed by Region 6 or Western Visayas with 18, Calabarzon with 12, Region 9 or the Zamboanga Peninsula with four, Region 12 or Soccsksargen with three, Region 8 or Eastern Visayas with two, and Region 5 or Bicol with one.

Most of the missing persons were also reported in BARMM and in Eastern Visayas with 10 each, Western Visayas with six, Calabarzon with two each, and Mimaropa, Bicol, and Soccksargen with one each.

Tropical Storm Paeng affected a total of 339,051 families or 1.174 million individuals, of which 70,538 families or 266,984 individuals were served inside evacuation centers.

There were 150 impassable roads and 60 impassable bridges, most of which were located in Region 2 or the Cagayan Valley.

In Batangas, the destruction of the Bantilan Bridge was hampering the flow of people and goods between Batangas and Quezon, while in Rizal, over 700 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were returned to the province's penitentiary after being evacuated for their safety.

The Department of Health said it has allocated P31 million worth of medicines and supplies to go to the affected areas, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development said that the distribution of cash assistance for storm-damaged homes may begin on Monday.

In terms of utilities, there were 155 cities and municipalities reporting power interruptions, where 84 areas were restored. Seven areas recorded water interruptions, and 44 areas without with communication lines cut off.

Damage to infrastructure stood at P384.061 million, with some 37 facilities reported to have been damaged. There were 19 facilities damaged in Western Visayas, nine in Central Visayas, four in Northern Mindanao, two each in Mimaropa and Bicol, and one in the Davao Region.

Three provinces and one city or municipality have since declared a state of calamity, with the NDRRMC recommending that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announce a nationwide state of calamity.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Speaker Martin Romualdez echoed the NDRRMC's recommendation.

Latest data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) estimated that the damage and losses to the agriculture sector was P49.54 million as of Sunday morning. 

Storm Signal No. 1 remains in effect over several areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila, as Paeng continues its west-southwest track while maintaining its strength, PAGASA said Sunday afternoon. — BM, GMA News