At least two people died while two others were reported missing as typhoon “Odette” slammed large parts of the Visayas and Mindanao on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Police Col. Rhoderick Alba, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the casualty reports were based on the consolidated data submitted by local police forces.

He said there were two people who were reported to have died in northern Mindanao while two were reported missing in Western Visayas.

Three others were reported injured, according to Alba.

Alba also disclosed that a total of 198,417 persons were evacuated as of Thursday and the data came from the Local Government Units where police rendered assistance in the preemptive evacuation.

They are now staying in almost 8,000 evacuation centers set up in seven affected regions.

The biggest number of evacuees were reported in Western Visayas with 62,510 people, followed by CARAGA region with 57, 410 people, and Central Visayas with 44,615.

In Region 4B (Mindoro Occidental and Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), there were a total of 1,995 evacuated while a total of 16,274 in Eastern Visayas and 9,471 in northern Mindanao.

Alba said almost 14,000 policemen were mobilized in areas that were affected by “Odette”, including those with search and rescue capability.

Based on the data from the PNP Aviation Security Group, a total of 53 flights were cancelled while a total of 1,083 passengers were stranded.

On the other hand, a total of 113 ships were stranded with a total of 3,260 passengers.

Alba said their personnel reported a total of 152 areas flooded, most of them in northern Mindanao, Eastern Visayas and Central Visayas.

A total of 154 areas were also reported to have lost their power supply and 492 areas with no communication signal.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Aaron Recuenco

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