90 percent of typhoon evacuees in Marikina now back in their homes

Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro. Photo from Marikina PIO Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — Ninety percent of families in Marikina City who have evacuated due to Typhoon Ulysses have already returned to their homes, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said Tuesday.

According to Teodoro, around 10,500 families in Marikina evacuated their houses on November 12 due to the typhoon, which triggered severe flooding in the city.

“As we speak now, we only have 1,050 families still remaining in evacuation centers. So almost 90 percent of evacuees have returned to their homes,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

Teodoro said the city government is still clearing the roads of mud and debris that were left by the devastation of the typhoon.

“What we are doing now, it is really imperative for us to clear the debris left by the typhoon. Many of our roads are clogged with the debris. The debris we are collecting is equivalent to that of one and a half year to be collected in the city,” he said.

He added that the local government unit has so far accomplished 45 percent of the city clearing operation.

Teodoro said major roads were already cleared and that the LGU is now clearing the secondary roads and interior alleys in the communities.

“That is one of the reasons why people cannot access their houses at this point in time, but I must admit that there are some who cannot go home because they have no house to return to,” he also said.

“That is the reason why we are getting the inventory and assessing the damage of the houses partially and totally damaged by the typhoon so that we can help these evacuees rebuild their homes,” the mayor added.

JPV

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