BAGUIO CITY– Super typhoon Lawin, the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, unleashed its fury for a night and half a day last week in Northern Luzon leaving enormous damage to life and properties in the Cordillera Administrative Region, resulting in a state of calamity declaration in three provinces.
The hardest hit provinces of Apayao and Kalinga declared a state of calamity on October 21, or just a day after the typhoon left, through Provincial Resolution No. 85 and Res. No. 2016-120, respectively. Provl. Res. No 387. 2016 passed on October 22 declared Mountain Province under a state of calamity.
As of Sunday, the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) Situational report confirmed 15 persons have died in the region, 14 of them due to landslides- two in Hungduan, Ifugao, six in the province of Benguet – two in the town of La Trinidad, three in Kibungan; and one in Buguias– and six in Kalinga including a family of five in Uma, Lubuagan. The lone fatality in Abra was hit by a falling coconut tree.
Four persons were also injured. One adult male was reported missing and believed to have been swept away by a river in Hungduan, Ifugao.
Based on the latest Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)- CAR report, there were 68,057 or a total of 306,026 persons affected by Lawin mostly in the province of Apayao. There were also 1,274 totally damaged and 10,700 partially damaged houses in the region.
Initial damage to agriculture was placed at P390,027,737.18 and P8,472,426.80 in fisheries.
The figures are expected to increase as there are still no report from isolated areas due to landslides or lack of electric power and communication signal.
As of Oct. 23, the DPWH-CAR reported that about 25 national road sections including Kennon Road, and Baguio–Bontoc Road ( Sabangan detour bridge washed out) and 7 provincial and municipal roads of the 58 affected roads and bridges are still close to traffic.
A total of P8,569,688. 52 worth of assistance was extended by DSWD CAR and more that P2 million worth of assistance by the different local government units in the region to affected communities
Tropical Cyclone Lawin entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Monday, Oct. 17 and intensified into a super typhoon before it made landfall in Peñablanca , Cagayan Wednesday night.
At the height of Lawin, the Cordillera provinces of Apayao, Kalinga and Abra were placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal no. 5, Mountain Province and Ifugao under no. 4 and Benguet, including Baguio City under no. 3. The strong gusty winds caused region wide power outage and loss of the telecommunication signal of all service providers.
Over the weekend, the CRDRRMC conducted aerial inspection to monitor the impact of Lawin so that proper assistance will be given to affected communities.**PIA CAR
