Odette death toll now 96 in Cebu

Severely Damaged Houses in Cebu South

CEBU CITY—The death toll in the entire island of Cebu on Thursday reached 96, exactly a week after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) which also destroyed thousands of houses and vital facilities across the Visayas.

Cebu province’s fatality list grew from 46 a few days ago to 63.

The data came from different local disaster management offices in 28 towns and cities across Cebu province which has 44 towns and six cities.

Cebu City listed 17 deaths while the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu reported seven and nine deaths.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) had listed at least 316,338 families who had been displaced, lost their homes or saw their houses damaged by Odette.

At least 57,557 houses were damaged or destroyed by winds exceeding 200 kph.

At least 10 towns in southern Cebu had reported total power outage although electric companies had already assured the swift return of electricity supplies to these communities.

Malabuyoc Mayor Lito Creus said roads connecting other areas to his town were still impassable, making it difficult for relief operations to come in.

Malabuyoc is among the southern Cebu towns that had been severely devastated by the typhoon.

As of December 22, at least 13,542 sacks of rice had been sent by the provincial government to the towns and cities hit by Odette. At least 5,875 canned goods had already been sent.

TSB