The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported of the increased number of affected families, mostly in Luzon as as typhoon Nina continued to wreck havoc in said areas on Tuesday, December 27.
As of 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the eye of Nina was spotted 360 kilometer west of Iba, Zambalez with a maximum sustained winds of up to 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
The state weather bureau, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said ‘Nina’ is expected to exit from the country today, Wednesday.
As of Tuesday noon, the typhoon was traversing the West Philippine Sea with maximum sustained winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph, heading west at 17 kph.
The NDRRMC said the number of families directly affected by Nina increased to 25,959 or 11,634 persons as of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday in 384 barangays in the regions of CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, V and VIII.
A total of 87,059 families or 429,485 persons were pre-emptively evacuated in the same regions, the NDRRMC added.
Decrease in the number of stranded passengers and cargoes in 20 ports in the affected areas decreased from Monday’s count.
The NDRRMC reported that only 192 passengers, 10 rolling cargoes and 4 vessels remain stranded in 20 ports in areas hit by typhoon Nina.
A total of 337 flights were also cancelled as of Tuesday morning – of which, 272 were domestic flights while 65 were international flights.
The NDRRMC also reported that 13 road sections and three bridges in regions II, MIMAROPA, V and VII were still not passable last Tuesday due to fallen trees and debris.
Eleven power lines in regions V and CALABARZON were still cut off since December 25, the NDRRMC added.
Grounded ships, missing passengers
Typhoon Nina also grounded two huge ships in Batangas province on Monday while eight of the passengers of one of the ships were reported missing by authorities.
Reports said that roll-on, roll off (RORO) ships M/V Super Shuttle 5 and M/V Starlite Atlantic were grounded along the coast of Mabini, Batangas when typhoon Nina made a landfall in Lobo, Batangas at around 11:00 a.m. on Monday.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the area said surging waves and rapid currents brought about by ‘Nina’ drifted both RORO ships to rocky and shallow waters while trying to moor for refuge at the port in Mabini, Batangas.
One passenger of M/V Starlite was reported dead while eight others were reported missing.
Coast guard authorities are still conducting search and rescue operations in the area but their operations were hampered by strong winds and huge waves.
Three persons in Albay were also reported killed when ‘Nina’ hit the area last December 25.
Continuing assistance
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it has already provided P9,159,851 worth of relief goods and assistance to all the victims of typhoon Nina in Luzon and Visayas.
DSWD said it has a total of 322,149 family food packs on standby and ready for distribution to various affected areas.
The agency, as of Tuesday, has P94,860,209.81 standby funds that can be used for its operations and assistance to the affected families.
On Tuesday, DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo has made a call to all families and residents directly hit by typhoon Nina to immediately proceed to their LGUs and DSWD outlets.
“Huwag kayong mag-atubiling lumapit sa inyong mga local na pamahalaan kung anuman ang inyong mga pangangailangan, at i-report din agad sa mga awtoridad kung may maoberbahan kayong iregularidad sa pamamahagi ng tulong,” Taguiwalo said.
