3 dead, thousands in evac centers amid 'Vicky' onslaught
MANILA, Philippines — At least three people in Agusan del Sur have passed away in the onslaught of Tropical Depression Vicky, its governor said Sunday morning, along with another person who is still missing.
Speaking in an interview aired over dzMM TeleRadyo, Gov. Santiago Cane Jr. disclosed that two of the three drowned after they tried to cross a river, while the other casualty, who was an employee of the natural resources department, forced his motorcycle to cross a flooded highway with his wife when his vehicle was swept by the flood. His wife survived the encounter.
"Fortunately, his wife was rescued by residents in the area, but the body of the husband was not found that afternoon. His body was only found the following day, which was yesterday," he said in Filipino.
"We are just taking care of evacuees who haven't been able to go back home. Some of them lost their homes and there are also those whose houses are still under water," he also said.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba on dzBB Super Radyo also said that the water level in the region had breached critical status at 11 meters, with a continuing increase anticipated until Sunday night. Individuals who have been rescued is also nearing 2,500, he said.
For his part, Isabela Gov. Rodito Albano said that 10 towns in the province were listed as affected, where some 1,000 people have already been rescued.
Evacuees and damages
In a separate update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council added that a total of 1,590 families totaling 6,702 persons in 57 barangays in Caraga and the Davao region have been listed as affected by the tropical depression.
Of these numbers, around 1,328 families or 5,464 people are already seeking shelter in 58 recorded evacuation centers while 43 families or 275 Filipinos are served outside such centers.
In Caraga, a total of P105.4 million in damage to infrastructure has been recorded, while a total of 83 houses were damaged in Cebu.
The Philippine Coast Guard also reported that as of 4 p.m. on Saturday, 142 drivers and helpers and 4 vessels were reportedly stranded in Palawan.
As of the latest bulletin by state weather bureau Pagasa, Tropical Depression Vicky is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Sunday afternoon, and is expected to reach tropical storm status in the next 24 hours.
— with a report from Christian Deiparine
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