7 killed as Typhoon Odette pummeled Cebu City – councilor

CEBU CITY — Seven people were confirmed dead in Cebu City following the devastation brought by Typhoon Odette on Thursday night.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak confirmed the fatalities although one of them had yet to be identified.

Most of the fatalities were hit by falling debris. Two of them died from a collapsed firewall in Barangay Tisa. Another was hit by debris from a cell site tower along Escario Street in Barangay Kamputhaw.

Meanwhile, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia has declared a state of calamity in the entire Cebu province on Friday afternoon.

In her Executive Order No. 48, Garcia asked the Provincial Board to right away convene and immediately approve a resolution adopting her declaration as recommended by the provincial disaster management office.

She said Typhoon Odette had left a number of homes, buildings, and other infrastructure either damaged or destroyed, causing a province-wide blackout and water shortage.

Garcia went to the worst-hit towns but she was not able to go around all affected towns because these are not yet accessible.