BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Twenty-eight people died in Negros Occidental when super typhoon “Odette” plowed southern Negros Occidental between Thursday night, Dec. 16, and Friday morning, Dec. 17.
Damage to the province’s agriculture and infrastructure reached millions of pesos.
As of Saturday, Dec. 18, the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) reported that 1,395 homes were destroyed, while 6,321 suffered extensive damage, too.
According to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, 34,452 persons fled their homes and sought shelter in various evacuation centers across the province.
Data released by the PDMPD showed 28 fatalities, with at least 45 people reported missing in Sipalay City.
However, yesterday morning the number of missing individuals dropped to 15 after 30 of the missing were later found alive and well.
PDMPD said most of the fatalities were due to trees falling such as in San Carlos City – a 64-year-old grandfather was killed when a tree came crashed into his shack in Barangay 1.
A 32-year-old security guard was also killed. He got hit by a large branch of a mango tree while driving home in his motorcycle.
In the town of Manapla, a 70-year-old fisherman drowned while attempting to save his fishing boat during a storm surge.
At least 15 bodies were also recovered in Sipalay City alone.
Meanwhile, an initial report released by the PDMPD showed an estimated P475 million worth of damages to livestock and infrastructure, and another P87,209 in damages to the province’s crops.
The cities of Kabankalan and Sipalay and the town of Ilog were the hardest hit areas in southern Negros.
In Kabankalan City alone, the typhoon’s heavy rains caused flooding to at least 60 to 70 percent of the city.
Several families were also rescued from the rooftops of their homes by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after getting trapped by rising flood waters.
Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) head, Dr. Renante Decena said they recorded at least P275 million worth of damage to broilers, P25 million to gamefowls, P50 million to layers, and P50 million in goats and cattles.
Massive blackouts were also experienced in most areas including Bacolod City, although power was restored in some areas yesterday. Communications also went down in the province, and water in areas badly hit by the storm became scarce.
Lacson is expected to declare a state of calamity for the entire province today.
“This will be approved (by the Provincial Board)… What does this mean is, we can use the Quick Response Fund that the local government units can use to address the situation we are facing,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
Meanwhile, Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer are calling for help for the victims of the typhoon and they have opened their respective offices in accepting relief supplies.
The victims of the typhoon are currently in need of food, clean drinking water, blankets, and sanitation kits.
Moreover, early yesterday morning, the PCG’s BRP Nueva Vizcaya (SARV-3502) left Muelle Loney Port in Iloilo City bound for Sipalay City.
The search and rescue vessel was carrying 11 additional Coast Guard District Western Visayas personnel, along with an official from the Office of Civil Defense in Region VI.
The ship also carried supplies consisting of 150 house repair kits, 30 shelter kits, 500 hygiene kits, 30 family kits, and a rubber boat with outboard engine.
The additional personnel will augment the ongoing search and rescue operation in the southern part of the province./PN
