'Ruby' victims to spend Christmas in evacuation centers

MANILA, Philippines - Around 100,000 victims of typhoon Ruby in Eastern Visayas will spend Christmas in evacuation centers.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), most of the residents from Western Samar and Eastern Samar are still staying in schools and tents.

Some evacuees may experience a "dim" Christmas since power is not yet restored in Western Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

More than 36,000 buildings, moreover, were destroyed in Region VIII, according to regional disaster risk reduction agency data.

A total of 15 casualties were recorded in the region, majority of the causes were drowning. Meanwhile, 855 were injured when the typhoon struck.

Typhoon Ruby left the Philippine Area of Responsibility last December 10 and affected 944,249 families from Regions III, IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VIII, CARAGA and National Capital Region.

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