The death toll from Typhoon “Odette” in Negros Occidental hit 28 on Saturday, December 18, with 24 others still missing.
The typhoon also caused 93,696 Negros Occidental residents to evacuate, Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head, said.
There are 13 persons dead and 24 missing in Sipalay City, the police reported.
Ten died in flood waters, two were killed by falling trees and one succumbed to hypothermia.
Fifty Sipalay residents were initially reported missing but 26 were found.
The city has been difficult to reach since the typhoon hit Thursday and Friday because its cell sites were damaged and roads have only recently been partially passable, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
Damaged aside from the cell sites are electrical poles and the city’s water system.
The city needs water, relief goods, hygiene kits and a generator, Diaz said.
The other deaths caused by “Odette” were in Kabankalan City -6, Moises Padilla -3, Binalbagan, Ilog, Isabela, La Carlota City, Manapla and San Carlos City – 1 each, Diaz said
The 12 injured were in Kabankalan City – 5, La Castellana -4, Moises Padilla – 2 and San Carlos City – 1, he added.
Among the dead in Moises Padilla were Clareiz Solteda, 5, of Barangay Macagahay who was pinned under a piece of wood when the typhoon blew her house away on Friday, Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia Yulo said.
Rogelio Gloriba, 70, of Barangay Crossing Magallon, died when a cotton tree fell on him on Thursday, and Jose Ariel Valenzuela, 57, of Barangay Odiong climbed a tree to cut a branch leaning on his house at the height of the typhoon and was discovered dead with his neck caught in its branches, Friday, the mayor said
Yulo said Moises Padilla is in need of nipa for roofing of houses.
There were many houses destroyed in Moises Padilla, they are still counting, she said.
An initial report from eight local government units out of 31 in Negros Occidental showed that that 1,627 houses were destroyed and 5,312 were damaged.
The eight LGUs are EB Magalona, Sipalay City, Bago City, San Carlos City, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela and Bago City.
Provincial Social Welfare Officer Merle Garcia said reports were coming in trickles because of poor communication lines.
HOMELESS CHRISTMAS
It may be a homeless Christmas for many in Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Saturday.
“The damage is really big and I wouldn’t be surprised if the value of all the losses and damages will reach in the billions of pesos,” Lacson said.
The provincial government will come up with a rapid assessment survey by Sunday, he said.
Everybody since Friday has been conducting clearing operations but on Sunday they have set the deadline for the rapid assessment survey to determine the extent of the damage, he said.
He said it may be a homeless Christmas for a lot of people, especially for those whose houses were totally destroyed.
“Probably there might not be enough time for them to recover in time for Christmas, they may actually be staying in evacuation centers during Christmas,” Lacson said.*