Nona destroys Mindoro infra, properties; 2 reported killed — local officials
CITY OF CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines — Typhoon Nona wrecked many of Mindoro Island’s public infrastructure and properties after it made its fifth landfall on the island on Tuesday.
The typhoon shut down power and potable water lines and communication facilities with hundreds of persons now in evacuation centers as they fled from swollen rivers, floods and destroyed homes, officials said.
Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr., reached late Tuesday night (Dec. 15), said that he received reports citing huge damage to properties and infrastructure in the whole province and two fatalities.
Umali said they were still verifying the extent of the damage and the casualty report, but he said the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council (PDRRMC) personnel and other rescuers were having difficulty reaching devastated areas because of felled trees and toppled electric posts that have blocked roads.
Landline communication was out while there were hardly any signal from wireless telecommunication service providers.
In Occidental Mindoro, Typhoon Nona hit the town of Sta. Cruz at 3 p.m. Tuesday, also shutting down both power and communication facilities in its wake.
Sta. Cruz municipal disaster risk reduction management officer Augusto Viray, reached late Tuesday night, said the town has been badly hit, with about a thousand persons evacuated to the town hall and the adjoining motorpool.
Viray said they were having difficulty with data transmission to the Occidental Mindoro PDRRMC because they were only using an emergency
generator at their operation center.
In the town of Abra de Ilog, also in Occidental Mindoro, local authorities reported widespread damage, with displaced families now housed at the
town’s gymnasium.
The typhoon made its fifth landfall in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro, at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) .
The typhoon made its first landfall in Batag, Northern Samar last on Monday morning, then made a second landfall past 3 p.m. Monday in Bulusan, Sorsogon, before it proceeded to Burias Island in Masbate for a third landfall late Monday before hitting land in Bantog, Romblon early Tuesday.
PAGASA said they expected Nona to continue to weaken and become a tropical depression by Wednesdayor Thursday.
As of 4 a.m. Wednesday (Dec. 16), PAGASA said Nona was 125 kilometers northwest of Calapan City, packing a maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph. When Nona first made landfall in Samar, it was packing a maximum winds of 150 kph and gustiness of up to 175 kph. SFM
