OCD: 2 dead, 1.4M individuals evacuated due to Uwan

By Priam Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency

(Pexels photo)

MANILA – Two fatalities are being validated in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas, while some 1.4 million individuals were preemptively evacuated as Super Typhoon Uwan (international name Fung-wong) pummeled a large part of the country over the weekend, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Monday.

In a video statement to reporters, OCD deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said these individuals are equivalent to around 426,000 families.

These numbers are based on the data provided by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, he added.

Alejandro also revealed that these individuals were preemptively evacuated from Region 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Cordillera Administrative Region, National Capital Region, Regions 5 (Bicol Region), 6 (Western Visayas), Negros Island Region, Regions 7 (Central Visayas) and 8 (Eastern Visayas).

A large number of the evacuees came from the Bicol Region, followed by Eastern Visayas and Calabarzon.

Alejandro added around 6,000 evacuation centers are active and housing 318,000 individuals or 92,000 families.

“Sa casualties po natin, meron pong reported sa atin, subject to validation, dalawang fatalities, one is from Viga, Catanduanes due to drowning and another one is from Catbalogan City, Samar, nahulugan ito ng collapsed structure (For casualties, there are reports but still subject to validation, two fatalities, one is from Viga, Catanduanes due to drowning and another is from Catbalogan City, Samar, this one was hit by a collapsed structure),” the OCD official said.

There are also reports of two injured individuals, he added.

The assessment on damage caused by Uwan to infrastructure and agriculture is still ongoing as of this time, Alejandro said.

Meanwhile, houses damaged by the cyclone’s effects are placed at 1,000.