Typhoon’s death toll climbs to 4 in Samar provinces

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 15 (PNA) – Typhoon Nona has killed at least four people in Samar and Northern Samar provinces when it battered the region on Monday, the Regional Disaster and Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) reported.

Authorities confirmed that the typhoon’s violent winds and heavy downpour claimed the lives of the four.

The first identified casualty is Pascual Ancente, Jr., 31, of Allen, Northern Samar. The victim died due to multiple wounds and head trauma when a galvanized iron sheet hit him.

The second casualty is Tessie Villaneuva Baladad, 38, of Caguingay village, Lope de Vega, Northern Samar. She drowned in Catarman, the provincial capital.

Another casualty is Abundio Bello, 83, of San Jose village, Lope de Vega town. The old man collapsed while heading to the evacuation center. In the remote village of Maduroto, Matuguinao, Samar, flooding drowned Jason Blesario, 28.

Two teams from the Department of Health have been going around Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Samar provinces to check on deaths and injuries among the townsfolk.

The RDRRMC has yet to receive reports on the number of persons injured during the onslaught of typhoon Nona.

The weather disturbance has displaced nearly 8,000 families or 30,851 persons in the three Samar provinces. More than 20,000 remained in evacuation centers on Tuesday.

People remained in evacuation centers in Basey, Gandara, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Sta. Margarita, and Villareal in Samar; Arteche, Jipapad, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpo in Eastern Samar; Biri, Catarman, Catubig, Laoang, Lapinig, Lope de Vega, Rosario, San Antonio, and San Jose in Northern Samar.

Widespread brownout hit Northern Samar and Eastern Samar as the typhoon damaged power transmission lines and electric posts. (PNA)
LAP/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

‘Nona’ kills man, leaves trail of destruction in Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 15 (PNA) – Typhoon Nona left Northern Samar with at least one dead, after it unleashed its wrath on Monday that caused widespread power outages and communication network paralysis.

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) identified the casualty as Pascual Ancente Jr., 31, of Allen Northern Samar. The victim died due to multiple wounds and head trauma when a galvanized iron sheet hit him.

The typhoon has displaced more than 5,000 in Northern Samar where typhoon Nona made its first landfall in Laoang town Monday noon.

At least 2,171 have been stranded in various ports in Northern Samar, Leyte, and Southern Leyte as the state weather bureau raise typhoon warning signals in these provinces.

The government is struggling to assess the extent of damage of typhoon Nona in Northern Samar due to power interruptions and absence of mobile phone signals.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said that some transmission lines in the province have experienced tripping as early as 9:26 a.m. on Monday.

Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Edgar L. Posadas described the impact as “not good” in his text message during an ocular inspection Tuesday morning.

The typhoon left trails of destruction in the province, toppling several trees, destroying some houses, and rendering some sections of national roads impassable, according to the official.

“We are still gathering data on the impact of Nona in Northern Samar. Local disaster risk reduction and management council officials could not be reached via mobile phone, landline and email,” Posadas said.

Citing initial reports from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), road sections along Mapanas to Palapag and Allen to the provincial capital of Catarman have been impassable since Monday night.

On Tuesday morning, the DPWH cleared the Lope De Vega-Catarman road sections, making the province accessible from Calbayog City in Samar. (PNA)
FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO