The number of deaths caused by Tropical Depression “Usman” has climbed to 85, the latest update from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Wednesday.
The death toll, which came from Mimaropa, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas, is still being validated, the NDRRMC said.
About 20 people remain missing while 40 were reported hurt.
The storm affected 45,348 families or about 191,597 people residing in 457 barangays in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Eastern Visayas.
Of these, 6,637 families or 24,894 people are being served in 170 evacuation centers.
Agricultural damage in the Bicol region alone has been placed at P342.23 million.
The death toll has made Usman one of the deadliest storms since Super Typhoon “Ompong” killed 82 people in September 2018.
NDRRMC spokesman Edgar Posadas said some residents in mountainside villages did not heed the government call to evacuate before the storm hit.
He told an interview on radio dzMM that disaster authorities need to ensure that people no longer hesitate when they are told to evacuate.
In Sagñay, Camarines Sur, rescue workers dug up 30 bodies buried in deadly landslides, and said they were no longer looking for survivors.
In Tiwi, Albay, nine bodies were retrieved.
Albay Gov. Francis Bichara said landslides blocked relief from reaching four barangays.
The Department of Agriculture put agriculture damage and losses brought about by Usman at P431.21 million as of noon Wednesday.
Of these, P366.07 million represented damage to 6,525 metric tons of palay.
The storm affected 21,441 hectares of farmland and 13,127 palay farmers in the provinces of Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon and Samar.
Damage to corn was estimated at P23 million or a production loss of 286 MT.
Some 4,255 hectares of farmland planted to corn and 2,779 farmers in Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon provinces were affected.
About P39.32 million worth of fruit trees, assorted vegetables, and root crops were damaged with 2,585 MT volume production loss.
Some 529 hectares and 1,693 farmers in the areas of Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon were affected.
The DA also recorded losses in livestock and fisheries.
The Department of Public Works and Highways has deployed additional personnel and equipment to storm-affected towns in Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Albay provinces to speed up the clearing of blocked roads to enable relief to reach areas hit by landslides.
Clogged roads include those in Sta. Elena and Labo towns in Camarines Norte province, Tiwi in Albay and the Daang Maharlika in Camarines Sur, the DPWH said.
Clearing operations would take at least a week due to the continuous rainfall, Public Works Undersecretary Rafael Yabut said in a radio interview.
The three provinces of Bicol region, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Albay are under a state of calamity due to floods and landslides caused by Usman.
Classes in the province of Camarines Sur and the city of Naga were suspended until Friday due to the damage caused by Usman.
