Dinagat Islands record 90% damage after Odette's wrath; 6 dead in Eastern Visayas

After experiencing Typhoon Odette's wrath, Dinagat Islands had reported 90% to 95% damage in houses in their communities, its local government official said on Sunday.

"Sa puntong ito, 'yung bahay ng mga tao 90% to 95% mula damaged hanggang totally wrecked talaga ng bagyo," Jeffrey Crisostomo, public information chief in Dinagat Islands, said in an interview over Super Radyo dzBB.

(At this point, houses of people are 90% to 95% wrecked.)

WATCH: Video shows extent of damage in Dinagat Islands due to Odette

Typhoon Odette made its second landfall over Dinagat Islands on Thursday shortly after making the first landfall over Siargao Island. 

According to Crisostomo, Odette's heavy rains and strong winds ravaged their communities like a washing machine.

"Para siyang washing machine na paikot ka. 'Di mo alam kung saan ka tatakbo kung matamaan ka ng ganu'ng klaseng hangin," said Crisostomo.

(It's like a washing machine, it whirls. You will not know where you'll run in that kind of wind.)

Casualties

In Eastern Visayas, which was placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4, deaths were at six, said Lord Byron Torrecarion, Office of the Civil Defense director in Eastern Visayas.

In a separate Super Radyo dzBB interview, Torrecarion said of the six deaths, one each were recorded in Macrohon, Leyte; Inopacan, Leyte; Maasin, Leyte; and Liloan, Leyte. Two died in Sogod, Southern Leyte.

Asked about the cause of death, Torrecarion said these fatalities were already at evacuation centers during the typhoon but returned to their homes, where they were killed by strong waves from the shoreline caused by the typhoon.

"For some reason, bumalik to check on their property (they went back to check on their property)," said Torrecarion.

Meanwhile, Dinagat Islands recorded 10 fatalities after the typhoon affected about 128,000 people in the province, said Crisostomo.

Nationwide tally from  the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed that 31 people were killed after Odette hit parts of Visayas and Mindanao.

Food packs, relief

With some roads in Leyte already passable for vehicles,  Torrecarion said relief goods can be delivered through land.

"Passable na rin for 4-wheel vehicles ang Mahaplag, Leyte (The road is passable for four-wheel vehicles in Mahaplag)," said Torrecarion.

Aside from this, he said roads are also passable from Maasin to Southern Leyte while roads were also cleared from Maasin to Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte.

Torrecarion said the Department of Social Welfare and Development already delivered 5,000 food packs while 30,000 additional food packs are also on the way to be delivered to the affected population in Eastern Visayas.

"Yesterday... DSWD shipped out additional 5,000 food packs. 'Yung OCD [Office of Civil Defense] nagpadala ng 250 family kits, repair kits, generators to aid in the clearing... This is a continuous process. DSWD started repacking another 30,000 family food packs so that supply [tuloy] ang flow ng supply to Southern Leyte (supply is steady at Southern Leyte)," said Torrecarion.

Dinagat Islands are also in need of potable water and other relief packs, said Crisostomo.

Power outage

Crisostomo, who traveled to Butuan City for their communications, said they are fast-tracking efforts to restore electricity in Dinagat Islands.

"Sinisikap na maibalik agad ang communication at kuryente sa Dinagat Islands para maging madali at mabilis ang pagtugon at koordinasyon ng tulong para sa mga nasalanta," he said.

(We are doing all means to restore communication and power in Dinagat Islands to fast-track coordination and relief for the typhoon-stricken population.)

For Eastern Visayas, Torrecarion said their priority is also to restore power in several parts of Leyte.

Some parts in Eastern Samar already had their power restored at 9 p.m. on Saturday, added Torrecarion.

"'Yun ang priority din is the restoration of power lines  sa Maasin. Maraming poste na natumba going to Leyte, southern part of Leyte and even Southern Leyte itself," said Torrecarion.

(Our priority is restoration of power lines in Maasin. Lots of electric posts fell down going to Leyte, southern part of Leyte and even Southern Leyte itself.)

On Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte went on an aerial inspection of some of the areas hit by Typhoon Odette.

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, a longtime aide to Duterte, shared photos and videos of the inspection, which covered Siargao, Surigao City, the Dinagat Islands, and Maasin City in Southern Leyte.

Duterte also had meetings with the local government officials of these areas. —KG, GMA News