Agri, infra damage due to ‘Odette’ top P25-B

MANILA – The combined cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure attributed to Typhoon Odette last December has reached more than PHP25 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Thursday.

In its latest report, the agency said damage to agriculture has amounted to over PHP7.7 billion in the regions of Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and Caraga.

Meanwhile, damage to infrastructure has reached PHP17.5 billion in Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

A total of 606,861 houses were damaged in Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Caraga and the BARMM. Of these, 422,797 were classified as partially damaged and 184,064 as totally damaged.

Confirmed deaths due to the typhoon remain at 76, along with 74 injured, and nine missing.

Meanwhile, still undergoing validation are reports of 331 dead, 1,073 injured, and 69 missing.