DSWD chief flies to Eastern Visayas to asses flash flood damage

02/21/2008 | 07:46 AM

Social Welfare secretary Esperanza Cabral took a C-130 cargo plane flight to Eastern Visayas early Thursday to personally assess the damage caused by the flash floods in Leyte.

Cabral cited reports reaching her indicating the flash floods have affected as many as 60,000 families in the Eastern Visayas region alone.

"Yan ang report sa akin kaya pupunta ako para mag-assess ng situation (That's the report that reached me so I have to go there to assess the situation)," she said in an interview on dzRH radio.

She said most of the 60,000 families affected so far are from Eastern Samar province.

On Wednesday night, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said flash floods caused by heavy rains have so far affected 123,651 persons and caused P305.447 million in damages.

In its 5 p.m. report, the NDCC said the floods and landslides in Oriental Mindoro, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Capiz, Samar provinces, Biliran and Leyte affected 26,346 families or 123,651 persons in 257 villages.

Of those affected, only 75 families or 390 persons were brought to evacuation centers while the others stayed with friends or relatives.

The NDCC identified seven of the eight fatalities as Loreta Tunacao of Borongan City; Roberto Operario, 25, of MacArthur in Eastern Samar; Edito Bola, 18, of Dolores town; Artemio Baltar, 67; Grace Ann Acude, 13; Eddie Pineda of Dulag, Leyte; and Valentina Fuentes, 70, of Palo,
Leyte.

Injured were Eddie Baroso of Borongan; and Rolando Colandog, 47, of MacArthur town.

Still missing were Ricky Ranillo, 27, of Dolores, Eastern Samar; Anthony Cabukuhan, 12; and Ricardo Loyola, 56, of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

The damage to property amounted to P305.447 million, including P53.245 million in agriculture and P252.2 million in infrastructure, in Eastern Visayas alone.

The 12-meter stretch of the Macabut Bridge Approach B along Borongan-Guian, Eastern Samar, was washed out and remained impassable as of posting time.

Meanwhile, Bombo Radyo reported Wednesday night that floodwaters swamped several areas in Iloilo due to rains, including the town of San Enrique, where hectares of crops were damaged.

In Passi City, Iloilo, Mayor Elyzer Chavez said floodwaters inundated several villages. Crops in Dueñas were also damaged.

In Zarraga, Iloilo, six villages were submerged in floodwaters after the Jalaur River overflowed and also affected nearby Dumangas, Leganes, and Barotac Viejo towns.

Some 400 families were affected, while electricity was interrupted as posts collapsed as a result of the heavy downpour. - GMANews.TV

source: GMANews.TV

Comments:

Its nice to know that there are people that has care for the others
-Agcel

that move is a good way to help people

-Shannon