‘Labuyo’ damage reaches P1B, says NDRRMC

A woman shields herself from the strong winds as she passes through a metal sheet wall that was knocked down by typhoon ‘Labuyo’ along Session Road in Baguio City. PDI-NL FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The cost of damages from Typhoon ‘‘Labuyo’’ (international name Utor) which hit parts of Luzon last week has reached the P1 billion-mark, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday.

Damages to infrastructure and agriculture in the Ilocos, Cagayan, Cordillera and Central Luzon regions is now at P1,081,719,037.59, the agency said.

In infrastructure, damages cost P358,547,941.93, while agricultural damages were at P723,171,095.66.

Death toll remained at eight, while four were still missing, the NDRRMC added.

As of 5a.m. Friday, there were still 25 passengers and one vessel stranded in northeastern Luzon.

Meanwhile, 15 roads and one bridge in the affected regions remained impassable.

There were also 20,136 houses damaged. Of this, 2,556 were completely destroyed.

The NDRRMC noted that the reported damaged houses increased in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Quirino and Aurora.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government units and nongovernment organizations were able to provide around P12 million worth of assistance.

‘Labuyo’ is considered as the strongest typhoon to batter the country for 2013.

The municipalities of Candelaria, Sta. Cruz and Masinloc in Zambales; Quirino; municipalities of Dinalungan and Casiguran and Dilasag in Aurora have been declared under state of calamity due to the typhoon.