By Priam Nepomuceno | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Around 478 families in three regions have so far been affected by Severe Tropical Storm Maring, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Tuesday (Oct. 12).
In an update, the NDRRMC said this is equivalent to 1,658 persons residing in Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
It added that two evacuation centers are now aiding 247 families or around 850 people while the rest are taking shelter with their relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, a total of 482 passengers, 246 rolling cargoes, and two vessels were reported stranded in Eastern Visayas.
The number of families preemptively evacuated was placed at 465 — 461 in Cagayan Valley and four in Eastern Visayas.
As this developed, NDRRMC deputy spokesperson Mark Cashean Timbal said the agency is still verifying reports that a security guard drowned in Claveria, Cagayan along with three deaths from a landslide in La Trinidad, Benguet.
“For the incident in Central Ambiong, La Trinidad, (Benguet), we have received (preliminary) information that as of 8:00 a.m., we have three fatalities and two missing,” Timbal said in a message to reporters.
Timbal also said disaster response offices of local government units are now responding to the effects of “Maring” and that regional DRRMCs in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and CAR have already mobilized their units to provide augmentation support to the affected localities.
“We also have received messages in socmed (social media) asking for rescue assistance, in particular, LU (La Union) and Ilocos Sur communities. These have been referred to RDRRMC 1 (Ilocos) for action,” he added. (PNA) – bny
