LEGAZPI CITY, Albay - At least 12 people died in the northern provinces of the Bicol region when typhoon “Santi” hit it on Saturday, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) reported on Sunday.
Santi’s strong winds and heavy rains destroyed 1,481 houses and partially damaged 4,276 in the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.
Twenty four houses were destroyed and 287 were damaged in Catanduanes.
Damage to crops and infrastructure totaled P35 million, based on the initial findings of the RDCC as of 10 p.m. Saturday.
Lt. Col. Darwin Nieva, RDCC Bicol regional spokesman, said that as of 10 p.m. Saturday, 12 people from the two Camarines provinces and the Catanduanes island-province had died, with some of the victims still unidentified.
In reports received by Nieva from Camarines Norte, two died of hypothermia (extreme coldness) and they were identified as Sarah Mae Vargas, 2, of Barangay (Village) Mambalite, Daet town, and Rodrigo Rodriguez, 64, a resident of Matacon village, San Lorenzo town.
Several died of drowning and two were identified as Rogelio Rasco, 65, of Bagumbayan, Paracale; Flora Estacion, 64, of Batobalani village, Paracale town; and Analiza Dela Cruz, 35, of Tawig, Paracale.
Maria Ferrer, 70, of San Lorenzo, Sta. Elena town, was reported to have died as her house was hit by a falling tree. Jose Eboña, 62, a resident of Awitan village, also of Daet town and four others who have not been dentified, died in various accidents caused by the typhoon.
Nieva identified a fatality from Catanduanes as Louie Alanoo, 30, of Hinipanan, Bagamanoc. “We are still trying to determine the cause of his death,” he said.
Nieva said the RDCC, which had an on-site survey the whole day Sunday, were still verifying reports of deaths in other parts of the affected provinces as well as the damage to infrastructure, properties and agricultural crops.
Santi spared Albay, whose disaster preparations have been in full force since the Reming tragedy in 2006.
Albay residents have been on alert for the possible eruption of Mayon Volcano, which could happen quickly, unlike typhoons that could be detected earlier.
“Preparations are in place at all times against Santi and Mayon combined and we would not be taking things for granted to maintain the zero-casualty plan against any calamity,” Albay Governor Joey Salceda said.
Albay evacuated some 10,000 residents from the flood-prone areas as part of the province's preemptive evacuation efforts.
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