Tropical storm “Gener” yesterday moved out of the country’s area of responsibility but the number of fatalities and affected people continued to rise as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 39 persons have been confirmed dead and more than 100,000 families were affected.
NDRRMC executive director Undersecretary Benito Ramos said four persons remained missing while 33 others were injured.
According to Ramos, 13 new fatalities were reported to the NDRRMC headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.
Among the latest fatalities were Angela Nicole Gregorio, Patricia Gregorio, and Elisa Mae Dolfino, all of Malinta, Valenzuela City; Anthony Capsuyan, of Tagudin, Iloos Sur, and Reynaldo Frio, and Arlene Tinaza Paz, of Sto. Domingo also in Ilocos Sur; Crisanto Aguilar, and Winnie Capiles, both of Bataan; six-month-old CJ Marco Carlos, of Obando, Bulacan; Hazel Mae Arpullos, of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Angel Ignacio of Pampanga; Justine Francisco of Meycauyan, and Jerome Orea, of Obando, Bulacan.
Ramos noted that the latest fatalities died of drowning.
The four missing persons were identified as Jerry Turo and John Regueros, both of Buguias, Benguet; Venice Sinupan of Sigay, Ilocos Sur; and Alfred Gumban, of Pavia, Iloilo. They are feared to have
drowned.
Damage to infrastructure and agricultural products has ballooned to P240,149,615.48.
The NDRRM also reported that 4,304 residential structures were either destroyed or damaged by strong winds and heavy rains brought about by typhoon Gener.
A total of 111,097 families composed of 519,665 individuals were affected by the havoc wrought by “Gener” in 32 provinces in Regions I,II, III, IV-A, XI, XII, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Of these, 4,121 families or 17,563 people are now staying in 81 evacuation centers.
At least 30 road networks and three bridges were still flooded.
Major dams in Luzon areas —Ipo, Ambuklao, Binga, Magat and San Roque, continued to release excess water.
The NDRRMC also reported the rise of the water level at the Laguna Lake by .09 meter.
As of yesterday morning, typhoon “Gener” was forecast at approximately 680 kilometers north-northwest of Basco, Batanes, outside the Philippines’ area of responsibility.
“However, this disturbance will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon bringing rains and moderate to strong winds over Luzon and the Visayas,” said Ramos.
Earlier, Ramos also said that the NDRRM expected the cost of damage to rise as reports coming from the field start to reach Camp Aguinaldo.
A Philippine gold mining firm said yesterday waste had leaked from one of its mines due to heavy rains, forcing the government to shut down production.
Chief mining regulator Leo Jasareno said the government was assessing the potential hazards posed by the tailings spill at the Padcal mine, though Philex Mining, the country’s top gold mining firm, denied the discharge was toxic.
“We have issued a suspension order on the mine,” Jasareno told Agence France Presse by telephone as he drove to the mine, located near the northern mountain resort of Baguio. There were no reported casualties.
“Philex is exerting its maximum effort to address the accidental discharge, and has mobilized the requisite resources in this regard,” the company said in a statement.
Philex vice president for corporate affairs Mike Toledo said bad weather was hampering company efforts to assess the extent of the damage and said it had no timetable for resuming operations.
“I think we’ll still be able to reach our (production) targets,” Toledo told AFP when asked if the shutdown would affect the company’s profitability.
The listed company’s shares plunged 6.71 percent to 20.15 pesos (48 US cents) in morning trading Friday as it disclosed the suspension of mine operations. Padcal is Philex’s only producing gold mine.
Vice President Jejomar Binay said the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has continued to conduct relief operations in different areas affected by typhoon Gener.
According to the Vice President, his office is currently distributing relief goods in the towns of Abucay, Hermosa, Bagac, Morong and Orani in the province of Bataan. He added that his office was also set to conduct relief operations in affected areas in Bulacan, Cavite and Nueva Ecija.
Several areas in the Cavite province were placed under a state of calamity in the wake of heavy rain and floods spawned by Typhoon Gener. The typhoon also flooded several areas in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.
Binay said his office had already delivered 3,000 bags of relief goods to the residents of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro where heavy rains caused landslides and massive flooding.
He also said the OVP distributed relief goods in the towns of Rosales and Bugallon in Pangasinan and in Montalban, Rizal.
The Vice President through his 2012 Priority Development Assistance Fund has allocated funds for relief operations as well as other social services, including the provision of school supplies and burial assistance. The OVP also holds medical missions and provides medicine and medical equipment to fourth to sixth class municipalities in the country.              With AFP