Water districts incur millions worth of damage from Super Typhoon Uwan — LWUA

Several water districts sustained millions worth of damages after Super Typhoon Uwan devastated areas in the country, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) reported Thursday.

Antonio Ramirez, LWUA Utilities Development Division manager, said among the most affected areas are Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Albay, and Sorsogon.

In Catanduanes, the Virac Water District sustained P3 million worth of damage, while the San Andres Water District suffered damages amounting to P3.5 million.

Ramirez said the water districts of Bato, Pandan, and Viga have yet to provide their assessment since their communications line is unoperational.

In Albay, the Daraga Water District provided an estimated damage of P27 million.

The damage to the Jose Panganiban Water District in Camarines Norte is worth P2 million.

The estimated cost of damage in the Del Gallego and Ragay Water Districts in Camarines Sur is P2.5 million and P100,000, respectively.

Meanwhile, assessment in the Paracale and Bombon Water Districts, also in Camarines Sur, is still ongoing.

Ramirez said LWUA will provide either an emergency loan or grant funding for the repair of the affected water districts.

He also reported that some water districts are relying on generator sets, as power has yet to be restored following the onslaught of Uwan.

The Matnog Water District in Sorsogon has limited operation since its generator sets are inadequate.

Meanwhile, some water districts in Cebu and Negros Occidental were affected by the impact of Typhoon Tino.

Ramirez said the Metro Cebu Water District is partially operating while the pumping stations of the La Carlota and the La Castellana Water Districts were submerged in floodwater, and are undergoing repairs.

The Department of Energy earlier said it may take about a month to fully restore electricity in areas devastated by Super Typhoon Uwan, after strong winds and heavy rainfall toppled several power lines.

Uwan dissipated inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility earlier today.

On Wednesday, the Office of Civil Defense reported that at least 4.5 million people, or 1.3 million families, across 11,100 barangays nationwide have been affected or displaced by Super Typhoon Uwan.

OCD Deputy Administrator Bernardo Alejandro IV said Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte were among the most severely affected provinces, while Aurora in Central Luzon and Pangasinan in the Ilocos Region also sustained heavy damage. — RF, GMA Integrated News