AGHON'S WRATH. Rescue personnel brave floods to evacuate residents in Lucena City, Quezon province at the height of Typhoon Aghon on May 26, 2024. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday (May 30, 2024) that the confirmed deaths due to the typhoon's effects has climbed to six. (Photo courtesy of Quezon PDRRMO)
MANILA – The number of confirmed deaths due to the effects of Typhoon Aghon has climbed to six, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday.
The figure includes five from Calabarzon and one in Northern Mindanao, the disaster response agency bared in its situation report.
Four of the fatalities succumbed to critical injuries due to fallen trees while the other two died of asphyxia due to drowning, the NDRRMC added.
Only one injured has been confirmed, while reports of seven other injured individuals are still being validated.
The typhoon has so far affected 16,404 families or 51,848 persons residing in 364 barangays in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and the National Capital Region.
Of this number, 3,878 families or 14,816 persons are being aided in 185 evacuation centers while 1,585 families or 6,409 individuals are being aided outside.
The number of damaged houses remains at 22 with 18 classified as "partially damaged" and four "totally damaged".
The government has so far provided assistance worth PHP6.7 million to affected families in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.
This consists of accommodation and transportation, family food packs, food assistance, hygiene kits, hot meals, packed meals, and other relief items.
Infra damage tops P670-M
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), meanwhile, reported that the typhoon left a total of PHP670.2 million worth of damage to infrastructures in seven regions.
Based on the final update from the Bureau of Maintenance (BOM), the agency said Calabarzon incurred the highest damage cost at PHP505.9 million – PHP464.9 million on roads and PHP41 million on flood control structures.
This was followed by Bicol at PHP69.85 worth of damage to flood control structures.
Western Visayas reported that the typhoon’s cost of damage to roads was at PHP53.99 million, followed by Central Luzon with a total of PHP28.673 million worth of damage – PHP24.2 million from bridges and PHP4.4 million from roads.
The National Capital Region also reported the cost of infrastructure damage at PHP10.87 million while road damage in the Cordillera Administrative Region amounted to PHP900,000.
It noted that these costs are still subject for field validation.
On the other hand, the BOM reported that six typhoon-affected roads were reopened on Monday.
These are Maspang Highway, Laguna; Tayabas-Mainit-Mauban Road and Lucena-Tayabas-Lucban-Sampaloc-Mauban Port Road, both in Quezon; Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road, Hapao, Hungduan, Ifugao; Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur via Kayan Road, Ampaong and Tiktik sections, Mt. Province and Kanparel Bridge along Catanduanes Circumferential Road, Catanduanes.
Other national roads and bridges affected by “Aghon” are now passable to all types of vehicles, it added. (with Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
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