MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Agaton, which dumped rain and caused landslides in the central Philippines, has affected more than 920,000 people in nine regions in the country, with more than 160,000 seeking shelter in evacuation sites.
The first cyclone that hit the Philippines this year also left in its trail nearly P135 million in damage to agriculture in five affected regions.
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In its latest situation report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Agaton affected 920,727 or 279,557 families in 1,296 barangays in the regions of Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, Caraga and BARMM.
Of these, 162,467 persons or 51,920 displaced families are seeking temporary shelter in 660 evacuation centers.
NDRRMC said that, as of Thursday morning, it has confirmed one fatality, six injured persons and one missing. Authorities are still validating reports of 75 more dead, two more injured and 28 still missing persons.
An Agence France-Presse report filed from Abuyog in Leyte meanwhile logged 80 deaths due to landslides and floods.
Damage
Agaton has also affected 9,273.86 hectares of crop area, resulting in P134,991,740.13 worth of damages in five regions, according to the NDRRMC report.
There were 328 houses partially and 26 totally damaged due to the cyclone. Authorities estimate P709,500 damages for the houses wrecked in the eight regions.
A total of 75 localities also reported experiencing power interruption or outage, and of these, electricity has so far been restored in 11 cities or municipalities, the NDRRMC report said.
They also have yet restore water supply to three localities that experienced water supply interruption or outage.
So far, the government has provided P19,474,723.66 worth of assistance to affected communities in the Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Caraga and BARMM regions.
On Tuesday, Agaton weakened into a low pressure area over the coastal waters of Eastern Samar. The state weather bureau also lifted all wind signals then. —Kristine Joy Patag