10 more bodies recovered; Yolanda death toll hits 5,680

MANILA, Philippines - The number of fatalities left by Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas region has increased to 5,680 with 10 more adding to the death toll last Monday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) however reported yesterday that the number of affected families went down to 28,371 families or 125,225 persons, from 44,906 families or 204,131 people because of decongestion of evacuation centers.

“As of 6 a.m. yesterday, 5,680 individuals were reported dead, 26,233 injured and 1,779 are still missing,” NDRRMC executive director Eduardo del Rosario said.

Most of the dead were from Tacloban City with 2,077 all unidentified, followed by Tanauan town with 1,252 deaths and Palo 1,089 and 72 deaths from Hernani, Eastern Samar.

The rest who perished during the monster storm came from various towns of Samar and Leyte, Cebu provinces including from the four provinces in Panay Island - Antique, Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan - and Palawan.

The teams sent by the Makati City local government were able to retrieve 17 bodies in a village of San Jose town in Leyte.

Thousands of American troops deployed for disaster and rescue operations have been pulled out following the deactivation last Sunday of the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM)’s Joint Task Force 505.

The pullout of American troops last Sunday signaled the gradual disengagement of the multinational force dispatched by their respective countries to help the Philippines cope with the disaster.

Also scheduled to leave the storm-ravaged Central, Eastern and Western Visayas is the contingent from the United Kingdom. The Israelis already pulled out last week.

Del Rosario also reported the total number of houses either totally or partially destroyed by Yolanda, has risen to 1,180,837 as compared to last Monday’s 1,176,537.

Estimated cost of storm damage remained at P34.4 billion – infrastructure, P17.3 billion and P17 billion in agriculture in Southern Tagalog, Bicol region, Western, Eastern, Central Visayas and the Caraga region.

A total of P857.4 million of relief assistance was provided by the government and non-government groups to the storm survivors.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) reported that 273,782 families in Eastern Visayas who survived Yolanda’s wrath were direct beneficiaries of the P2.2 million worth of food packs, 294,314 liters of water; 67,673 canned goods, and 244,444 packets of high energy biscuits coming from the government.

On the other hand, the Department of Health (DOH), reported that 43,604 were given consultation and treatment, while 4,548 more were given measles immunization and 8,277 others given tetanus toxoid vaccination.  â€“ Iris Gonzales, Mike Frialde