Number of people affected by ‘Ruby’ breaches 1-M mark

(Photo by Wang Regalado via Gov. Joey Salceda’s Facebook page)

MANILA — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Monday reported that the number of people affected by typhoon “Ruby” has hit the 1.074 million mark.

In its update, NDRRMC also said the number of fatalities remains at two.

NDRRMC said that some 232,948 families or 1,074,080 persons were affected in Regions 4-A (Calabarzon), 4-B (Mimaropa), 5 (Bicol Region, 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas) and Caraga.

Of these, some 230,569 families or 1,066,141 people were currently being served inside and outside evacuation centers.

Around 2,663 passengers, 94 rolling cargoes, 644 vessels and three motor boats are still stranded in various ports of the country due to bad weather.

The agency said that power outages were reported in 16 provinces of Regions 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6 and 8, while Globe and Smart networks are currently down in some parts of Leyte and Eastern Samar.

NDRRMC also said that a total of 10 roads were closed to traffic due to flooding, landslide and falling trees in Regions 5 and 8; while three road sections are not passable to light vehicles in Leyte due to flooding; and eight road sections (five in Region 5 and three in Region 8) are hardly passable to traffic due to flooding, landslides, uprooted trees and toppled electric posts.

The total cost of government assistance for the affected families in Regions 5, 6, 7 and Caraga has reached Php 47,244,618.70.

Meanwhile, work in government offices in Region 4-A, 4-B and National Capital Region were suspended on Monday.