‘Juaning’ damage reaches P2.8B—NDRRMC

MANILA, Philippines—Estimated damage wrought by tropical storm “Juaning” (international name: Nock-ten) has reached P2.765 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday.

In its status report, the NDRRMC said that damage to infrastructure has reached P1.558 billion and to agriculture, P627.26 million. A total of 860 schools and 2,857 classrooms in the provinces of Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes sustained damage estimated at P580 million. The amount includes damaged textbooks, furniture and computer units, the NDRRMC said, adding that 209 teachers and 7,768 students have been affected in the four provinces, all in the Bicol Region.

Most of the damage was reported from Region 5 (Bicol), which had the most number of provinces hit hard by Juaning. Other provinces affected by the tropical storm were Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Quirino, Bulacan, Tarlac, Mindoro Occidental, Ifugao and Mt. province, the NDRRMC said.

Meanwhile, Juaning’s death toll has reached 69 as of Thursday, the NDRRMC said, adding that 14 persons remain missing in the provinces of Romblon, Catanduanes, Masbate and Eastern Samar.

More than a 200,000 families, or roughly over a million persons, were affected by the continuous rains brought by Juaning in 21 provinces in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4a, 5, 10, the National Capital Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region, the NDRRMC said.

Juaning made a landfall in Aurora province Wednesday last week and exited the Philippine seas the following day. However, the weather disturbance continued to enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing heavy rains in most parts of Luzon, the NDRRMC said.