Odette leaves P 24.5-billion damage; death toll hits 407

HOMELESS Residents of this fishing community in Surigao City put up makeshift tents and shelters to protect themselves from the rain after Typhoon “Odette” destroyed their houses. —ERWIN MASCARIÑAS

MANILA, Philippines — Damage to infrastructure and agriculture due to Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) ballooned to over P24.5 billion as reported deaths breached 400, some two weeks after the tropical cyclone pummeled the Visayas and Mindanao and parts of Luzon.

On Sunday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) placed damage to agriculture at P7.684 billion and to infrastructure at P16.9 billion.

According to the NDRRMC, the worst hit in terms of agriculture were the Western Visayas, Mimaropa, and the Eastern Visayas. Other regions where agricultural damage was reported were: Calabarzon; the Bicol region; Central Visayas; Northern Mindanao; Davao region; Soccsksargen and Caraga.

Among regions that reported the most damage to infrastructure were: Caraga, where Odette caused some P12.8 billion worth of damage; the Central Visayas, with P2.1 billion; and Mimaropa, with P1.48 billion. The Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) also reported massive damage to infrastructure.

75 deaths confirmed

The NDRRMC said that reported deaths from the typhoon were at 407, with 78 persons missing and 1,147 injured. Of the 407 reported fatalities, the NDRRMC has validated 75.

Among the reported fatalities 96 were in Bohol; 66 in Negros Oriental; 58 in Cebu; 50 in Negros Occidental; 38 in Surigao del Norte; 30 in Southern Leyte; 24 each in Palawan and Dinagat Islands; seven in Agusan del Sur; four in Misamis Oriental; two each in Iloilo, Bukidnon and Guimaras; as well as one each in Leyte, Misamis Occidental, Agusan del Norte and Butuan City.

78 still missing

Of the 78 persons reported missing, 30 were in Negros Occidental; 15 in Bohol; 11 in Cebu; seven in Palawan; six in Negros Oriental; five in Agusan del Sur; and four in Southern Leyte.

The NDRRMC also reported that power has been restored in 206 of 284 towns and cities while telecommunications remains down in 125 areas in Mimaropa, the Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and BARMM.