TROPICAL cyclone “Rolly” left at least 20 persons dead while damaging some P5.76 million worth of infrastructures, says the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in its report to Malacañang.
The casualties are from the Bicol region, where Rolly unleashed its fury during the weekend. Of this figure, 14 were from Albay and the remaining six from Catanduanes.
As for the damages, the Department of Public Works and Highways said that infrastructure damage left by Typhoon Rolly stood at P5.76 billion as of Nov. 3.
- P1.52 billion- roads
- P458.2 million- bridges
- P2.04 billion- flood control structures
- P367.3 million- public buildings
- P1.38 billion- others
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said that as of 6 p.m. Monday, a total of 368,395 residents or 95,958 families in the Bicol region were displaced by Rolly. Figures from the other regions have yet been finalized.
At least 300 houses in Albay were buried in lahar, which flowed from the slopes of Mayon Volcano.
Some national highways in Bicol are still not passable due to obstructions like fallen trees and electric poles.
Power and water supply have also yet to be restored in Bicol as Rolly damaged both transmission and distribution lines in the region. The affected areas include Albay, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Naga City, and parts of Camarines Sur, the OCD said.
Rolly, which is considered the world’s strongest typhoon this year so far, also destroyed 21,000 houses in the region, while partially damaging houses of some 58,000 families.
More than 17,000 hectares of agricultural areas were affected by the super typhoon, leading to losses of at least P1.1 billion.
Earlier reports had Rolly affecting some 2 million people. Aside from Bicol, it also lashed places in other parts of Luzon, including Batangas, Quezon province and Occidental Mindoro.
As this developed, local chief executives of provinces, cities and municipalities in the Bicol region are appealing for help to cope with the widespread destruction brought by typhoon Rolly.
Tabaco City for one expressed fear as thousands were left homeless and damage pegged at P2 billion. Its Mayor Krisel Lagman Luistro sought for food, water and housing materials.
“Tabaco was directly hit by typhoon Rolly. Fifty percent of the homes are damaged in various stages of unrepair,” she said in a television interview this morning.
As of this posting, communication and power lines are still down and may likely be as is until December.
“We anticipate there will be no electricity until December,” Luistro said, citing previous experience with typhoon Nina in 2016 where restoration activities took several months.
State weather bureau PAGASA said 1 to 3 tropical cyclones are expected to cross the Philippines in November while December may have 2 or 3 storms.