OCD: 81 reported dead due to Kristine

THE number of deaths due to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine ballooned to 81, the Office of Civil Defense said.

OCD Administrator and Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno told media at a forum that the number of reported casualties is still being subjected to verification and validation.

According to the data, the OCD revealed that the majority of the victims came from CALABARZON at 48, followed by Bicol Region (Region V) at 28 killed.

They were followed by the Cordillera Autonomous Region, Ilocos Region (Region I), and Zamboanga Peninsula Region (Region IX) have reported two, one, and one deaths, respectively.

According to Nepomuceno, there were also 66 persons that were reported injured and 34 missing.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that some 547 areas remain flooded areas across Regions I, II, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, V, VI, VIII, IX, XIII, CARAGA, BARMM, and National Capital Region.

Likewise, Nepomuceno had said that 4.472 million people or 1.062 million families were severely affected by the weather disturbance.

Meanwhile, the damage to infrastructure was reported by the NDRRMC reported at P203,826,014.38.

Some 8,432 houses were damaged – 7,506 partially and 926 totally.

Agriculture saw damage of P87,529,788.11, affecting 3,049 farmers and fisherfolk and 1,613.77 hectares of crops.

As there are 83 cities and municipalities placed under state of calamity due to Kristine.

Kristine had exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday.

But the trough will still affect parts of Luzon on Saturday, PAGASA said.