Still no electricity, water in northern Negros Oriental, 4 days after ‘Odette’

People line up for drinking water in Bais City, Negros Oriental. Photo by Alex Pal, Inquirer Visayas

DUMAGUETE CITY—Residents in the northern towns and cities of  Negros Oriental were still without electricity and drinking water, four days after the onslaught of Typhoon “Odette” last Dec. 16.

Adrian Sedillo, head of the Negros Oriental Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Management Council, said 51 people died due to the typhoon as of Dec. 20.

The official death toll listed 12 in Bais City, 10 in Manjuyod town, nine in Bindoy town, five in Mabinay town, three in Guihulngan City, and two each in Bayawan, Tanjay, Canlaon, and Dumaguete cities and the towns of Tayasan, Dauin, Jimalalud, and Bacong.

Reported missing were 26 and wounded were 76.

The initial estimated damage to property and infrastructure was P600 million.

The PDRRMC identified water as the highest priority need for the typhoon victims, followed by food, psychological first aid, power generators, debris-clearing teams, search-and-recovery teams, teams to help fix the power lines, and cash assistance for shelter.

Fe Marie Dicen Tagle, Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative (Noreco) II general manager, said they had repaired the backbone lines and were currently working on the affected lateral lines in the Pulantubig, Bagacay, and Dauin substations.

As of Sunday, Noreco II had also completed repairing the backbone lines for Tanjay, Siaton, and Bayawan substations and was waiting for power from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines while teams continued work on the lateral lines.

Once power is restored in the Noreco II area, the coop would send linemen to join the Task Force Kapatid for Noreco 1 and other electric cooperatives on Negros Island and Central Visayas, Tagle said.

Odette also leveled crops, sparking fears of a food shortage in the coming months.

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