Typhoon Odette death toll climbs to 27 in Eastern Visayas
by RONALD O. REYES
AT LEAST 27 people were killed and thousands more displaced in Southern Leyte and southern parts of Leyte as affected residents appealed for immediate help after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) on December 16, 2021.
In the information released by Police Regional Office-Eastern Visayas, the fatalities in Southern Leyte were from the towns of Malitbog (5), Tomas Oppus (2), Macrohon (1), Maasin City (1), Saint Bernard (7), Liloan (3), Limasawa (1), Sogod (2), Padre Burgos (1), San Francisco (2), and San Ricardo (1). One also remained missing in Saint Bernard.
In Leyte, the lone fatality was from Inopacan.
As of Saturday morning, December 25, 2021, the number of evacuated individuals reached 59,119 in Southern Leyte, based on the consolidated partial situation report of the police regional command.
At least 256 passengers and 200 vehicles were stranded in various seaports in the two affected provinces while commercial flights have already resumed in the region.
Police personnel, along with other law enforcement agencies, also conducted 149 rescue operations, 207 clearing operations and 387 relief works.
According to the police regional command, 307 individuals were rescued by different police units following the powerful storm.
No looting incidents were also reported.
Power outages continued in Maasin City and 18 other towns in Southern Leyte while telecommunication services were slowly restored in some areas.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Eastern Visayas said all national roads and bridges in Southern Leyte are now passable to all types of vehicles, with intermittent sections that are one-lane passable, as of December 24, 2021.
“All other affected areas in the region are open to traffic. Up to this time, deployed maintenance crew are still continuing with the clearing activities in major roads in the province,” the agency said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region reported that a total of 2,000 family food packs sent by DSWD-Bicol have already been unloaded by the Philippine Army personnel at the Maasin City Port.
The food packs, onboard BRP Federico Martir, served as an additional relief assistance.
On December 24, another 1,000 bags of rice were unloaded from National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Alangalang, Leyte.
According to the DSWD, the additional rice supply will be used for the family food packs to be delivered to the affected towns.
Danilo Atienza, head of Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) earlier said they deployed speed boats to access the other isolated parts of the province.
Atienza said they had clustering of support groups to manage the different concerns in the province, from food, health, security, and housing, among others.
In Maasin City, Mayor Nacional Mercado appealed for food, water, tents, and clothing for the affected families.
According to Mercado, some 1,000 sacks of prepositioned rice “unfortunately” got wet after the roof of the city gymnasium that served as main evacuation center was ripped off by strong winds.
“This is the worst typhoon I encountered in my 39 years in this city. This is our saddest Christmas ever,” said Mercado.
He thanked the national government, particularly DSWD, for augmenting their relief assistance.
On December 22, 2021 alone, Mercado said they distributed relief goods to 19,743 families in the city.
“This is a very tough time for all of us. Let us continue to pray for our recovery and bring forth our bayanihan spirit,” he added.
As this developed, Mercado declared a state of calamity in the city, while ordering the regulation in the selling of petroleum products “to preserve order and prevent artificial scarcity of fuel supplies” and the price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities.
“Let’s continue to be united in extending our help to all those who are adversely affected by Super Typhoon Odette,” Mercado added.
“The national government is taking this seriously. We are doing everything we can,” Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-Eastern Visayas Director Lord Byron Torrecarion earlier said.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who visited Southern Leyte, has declared a state of calamity in Eastern Visayas due to damages brought by Typhoon Odette. (SunStar Philippines)
