Yolanda: More sad, bad numbers

THE NUMBERS of the dead and the missing keep rising, yet the scale and severity of the catastrophe that super typhoon Yolanda exacted in 41 or over half of the Philippines’ 80 provinces have yet to unravel.

Official sources on ground are counting casualty figures by the tens of thousands, even as relief and rescue teams have yet to reach many villages that to this day are without power, water, and communication lines. The absolute figures — incomparably dreadful for sure — are hard to come by, and yet the disaster and emergency assistance that must be addressed posthaste is sure to be incredibly massive and difficult.

In its latest situational report as of Sunday, Nov. 10, 7 pm, the National Disaster Relief and Risk Management Council (NDRRMC) revealed more devastating numbers from the aftermath of Yolanda:

• Casualty toll, official count as of Nov. 10, 7 pm: 229 dead, 45 injured, 28 missing.

• Affected population: 2,055,630 families or 9,497,847 persons in 7,027 barangays in 41 provinces of Regions IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, VIII, X, XI, and CARAGA.

• Damaged houses: A total of 19,551, including 13,191 totally damaged and 6,360 partially damaged.

• Roads and bridges: Three roads remain impassable in Regions VI and VIII.

• Cost of damage: P138,552,546.55 worth of damage to infrastructure (P13,797,500) and agriculture (P124,755,046.55)

• Power outage: The following areas are sill without electricity – Cardona, Rizal; Naujan, Calapan City, Pinamalayan, Bulalacao, Victoria, and Bansud in Oriental Mindoro; Coron, Roxas, Busuanga, Magsaysay, and Cuyo in Palawan; San Jose, Magsaysay, Rizal, and Calintaan in Occidental Mindoro; some towns of Albay and Camarines Sur; portions of Antique and Iloilo; 24 towns of northern Cebu, including San Francisco, Camotes, Tuburan and parts of Danao City; Guihuingan City and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental; and the entire provinces of Romblon, Masbate, Marinduque, Capiz, Aklan, Bohol, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.

Power supply had been restored earlier in the provinces of Quezon and Camiguin, the towns of Angono and Binangonan in Rizal; Pagsanjan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Cavinti, Victoria, Rizal, and Mabitac in Laguna; Paluan, Sta. Cruz, Sablayan, and Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro; Sibulan and Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental; and Siquijor, Siquijor.

• Communication lines: As of Sunday evening, Globe Telecom has restored its signal in Tacloban City, but also in only 20 percent of the affected sites in the Visayas, and only 30 percent of the affected sites in Luzon and Mindanao.

• Cost of assistance: A total of P21,365,510.21 worth of relief assistance has been provided to the affected families, including P10,536,477.60 from the Department of Social Welfare and development, P6,565,051.69 from local government units, and P4,262,980.92 from the Department of Health.