Typhoon-hit Marinduque asks for aid before local supplies run out

SAN PEDRO CITY—The island province of Marinduque was one of the areas hardest hit by Typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-Ten), which affected 100 percent of its total population.

Rolando Josue, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council head, on Tuesday said they have recommended the declaration of a state of calamity after the typhoon damaged coconut trees and the entire agricultural land.

He said the entire population, composed of 52,000 families (about 200,000 individuals), were affected.

“Houses were either damaged or destroyed,” he said.

An eight-year-old boy from Boac town was so far the lone casualty in the province. Josue said the child drowned after chasing a coconut in a river during the typhoon aftermath.

While food and water supply are locally available from the provincial and local government units, provisions may only last a few more days.

“Rice fields are destroyed and no one’s sailing out to fish. Our assessment is we will need food supply for three days just for the recovery (period),” he said.

Power supply remains cut in the entire province. Quoting the local power cooperative, Josue said it might take a week before power returns in Boac alone.

Meanwhile, outgoing boat trips bound for Lucena City in Quezon resumed Tuesday, although several roads remained impassable to most vehicles on the island, he said. RAM/rga