Northern Samar under state of calamity

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 17 (PNA) – The extent of damage caused by typhoon Nona prompted the provincial government of Northern Samar to place the entire province under state of calamity.

The provincial board passed a resolution on Tuesday declaring a state of calamity. Provincial legislators made the declaration one day after the powerful typhoon made its first landfall in Batag Island, Laoang, Northern Samar.

The declaration will aid the mobilization of resources, ensure price control for basic necessities, granting of no interest loans, and appropriation of calamity funds.

Typhoon Nona has killed at least three persons and injured 147 persons in the province, according to Thursday noon report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)

The typhoon has destroyed 65,000 houses in 23 towns. Nearly 10,000 persons remained in evacuation centers three days after the typhoon rendered them homeless.

Initial estimate showed that damage to agriculture has reached PHP53.51 million, directly affecting 3,114 farmers.

Republic Act 10121 known as the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,” defines a State of Calamity as “a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard.” (PNA)
FFC/SQM