‘Ursula’ kills 13 in E. Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY – At least 13 persons died due to Typhoon Ursula in Eastern Visayas, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Eastern Visayas (OCD-8) reported.

Of the 13 fatalities, five each came from Leyte and Eastern Samar, and one each from the provinces of Biliran, Southern Leyte, and Samar.

The causes of deaths were either through drowning, electrocution, or after being hit by falling debris.

In Leyte, the fatalities were identified as Arwin Jomoc, 5, a resident of Baybay City; Ramil, 37, and Rix Jhun Rosal, 18, both from Kananga; Bernard Escoto, 60, from Tacloban City; and Placido Arpon, 59, from Barugo.

The fatalities from Eastern Samar were identified as Carlos Yu, 70, and a resident of Balangkayan; Macario Quizon, 26 from Guiuan; Macario Sabaldan, 77, also from Guiuan; Fel Tabiliran, 42, and Artemio Ybañez, 55, both from Borongan City.

The three other fatalities were Police S/Sgt. Charles Pongos, 38, from Malitbog, Southern Leyte; Reymark Cañete, 27 from Cabucgayan, Biliran; and Maria Jessica Carpio, 29, from Basey, Samar.

Still missing were fishermen Danilo Banizar and Clyde Lustre.

About 239,771 families, consisting of 959,229 individuals, were affected by the typhoon in the provinces of Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar, which are all under a state of calamity.

Meanwhile, damages on roads and bridges from the affected provinces have reached P102.7 million, as initially reported by the Department of Public Works and Highways.