NDRRMC: 100,000 families affected by ‘Lando’

MANILA, Philippines – The number of deaths due to the battering of then Typhoon Lando in the northern part of the country rose to 35 on Wednesday, while 100,000 families were estimated to have been affected, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Council (NDRRMC) said.

In a televised press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, NDRRMC Undersecretary Alexander Pama said the 35 fatalities reported included the missing persons in northern and Central Luzon. She noted that 16 of which were from the Cordillera region alone.

The agency also reported 24 injured during the onslaught of “Lando” since the weekend.

NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan said there are 194,387 families or 907,267 persons affected by the typhoon which has weakened on Wednesday into a tropical depression.

There are also 512 evacuations housing 25,293 families or 112, 822 persons while the evacuees from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal at Quezon) region already returned to their respective homes.

The weather disturbance also triggered 762 flooding incidents in Pangasinan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Cagayan and Benguet, six drowning incidents, two collapsed walls, two electrocution incidents and five toppled trees.

NDRRMC warned the residents of the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga against further flooding as waters from the higher land continue to flow downstream.

Marasigan said the agency is mulling the opening gates of some dams if necessary. The agency is also monitoring the water levels of dams of Ambuklao, Binga, San Roque and Magat.

“Makiisa sana tayo sa panawagan ng pamahalaan kapag po sa ganitong panahon na mayroong pagbabanta na ganito kung kalian na po talagang lumikas na diyan simulan na po natin para makalipat tayo sa mas ligtas na lugar,” Marasigan said.

Due to the flooding and landslides, 128 road sections were left impassable while 24 bridges were closed.

Some roads such as Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya road is now open at a limited capacity while Mt. Province via Taboc Enrile road and Baguio’s PMA road is also now open. The government is looking into accomplishing land trips along Baler and Casiguran as it is also now passable.

Typhoon Lando’s aftermath also included 6,947 damaged houses, 540 of which are totally damaged and 6,407 are partially damaged in Regions 1, 2, 3 and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

NDRRMC assured that the government is currently conducting aerial survey and assessment to provide comprehensive report on the damage caused by the cyclone.

The agencies also organized a response team to help in the relief operations and medical assistance.

“Patuloy pa rin naman po ang ating operations sa pagtutugon sa ating mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan lalo na dito sa area ng central Luzon at northern Luzon,” Marasigan said.

As of midday Wednesday, the government has provided about P6.1 billion to restore destroyed agriculture in Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, Calabarzon and CAR while almost P5.5 million was provided for infrastructure.

On Wednesday afternoon, NDRRMC confirmed that Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman visited Casiguran, Baler, Aurora to conduct aerial survey.