Labuyo causes landslides, flood in Baguio. Rescuers clear debris from a road after a landslide that occurred at the height of Typhoon Labuyo (Utor) in Baguio City on Monday, August 12. The strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year triggered landslides and floods, disrupting power and communication links, leaving one person dead and 13 fishermen missing. Reuters
The death toll from Typhoon Labuyo rose to seven Wednesday afternoon, with a resident of Isabela being the latest fatality, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Wednesday.
NDRRMC spokesman Maj. Reynaldo Balido said Army troops found the body of Benie Almario Labios, 46, at Dipangit village in Jones town in Isabela.
“Nakita siya ng tropa ng Philippine Army, ang 86th Infantry Battalion, sa Dipangit, Jones, Isabela,” Balido said in an interview on dzBB radio.
Labios was initially reported missing last Monday.
The NDRRMC’s 3 p.m. update said that five people were missing while at least seven were injured.
According to the council, Labuyo affected at least 45,249 families or 204,627 people in 475 villages in 84 towns and five cities in 16 provinces.
It likewise noted a “significant increase” in the number of affected families or persons in Cagayan Valley.
Of those affected, 2,641 families or 11,855 people are housed in 57 evacuation centers.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 29 roads were still impassable,including 14 in Cordillera, 12 in Central Luzon, and one each in Ilocos and Cagayan Valley.
The NDRRMC said 13 bridges were rendered impassable, while power outages were still experienced in Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and Quirino in Cagayan Valley; Aurora and Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon; and Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Baguio City in Cordillera.
Communications were still bogged down in Dipaculao, Dinalungan and Casiguran in Aurora.
Value of damage
Damage to property was estimated at P932,338,895.66, including P209,911,300 in infrastructure and P722,425,595.66 in agriculture.
This included P414,929,960 in Cagayan Valley, P389,793,618.88 in Central Luzon, P124,720,444.28 in Cordillera and P613,680 in Ilocos.
At least 738 houses were destroyed and 5,130 damaged.
Meanwhile, a separate dzBB report said relief goods were brought to the areas in Aurora that were isolated by Labuyo.
Another report by dzBB’s Allan Gatus said that PAGASA’s weather observation station in Casiguran, one of the areas hit hardest by Labuyo, suffered damage.
Pag-IBIG, NHA assistance
Families whose houses were destroyed by Typhoon Labuyo (Utor) may get up to P5,000 in home material assistance from the National Housing Authority, Vice President Jejomar Binay said Wednesday.
The NDRRMC said that as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, at least 738 houses were destroyed and 5,130 damaged.
Earlier, Binay said members of the Home Development Mutual (Pag-IBIG) Fund who were affected by Typhoon Labuyo may file for calamity loans equivalent to 80 percent of their savings in the Fund.
The loan is payable over a period of 24 months at an interest rate of 5.95 percent per annum.
Members availing of the calamity loan also have the option to defer their first payment up to three months from the release of the loan and pay their first monthly amortization on the fourth month. — BM, GMA News
