The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is verifying reports of at least three fatalities attributed to Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi), which impacted parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, causing widespread flooding, power outages, and mass evacuations.
In an interview on Tuesday, OCD Deputy Administrator for Operations Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the agency is still validating the reported deaths as ‘Tino’ continues to affect Western Visayas after unleashing heavy rains and strong winds across several provinces.
“So, meron kaming pangatlo sa Mindanao pero we are trying to validate pa po (We have a third reported casualty in Mindanao, but we are still trying to validate it),” said Alejandro.
Initial reports of casualties include a drowning incident in Bohol and another in Southern Leyte, both of which are being verified by regional offices. The victim in Southern Leyte was identified as a senior citizen who failed to evacuate on time. There were also two reported missing in the said province.
According to Alejandro, around 60,000 individuals have been affected so far, while 76,000 people were evacuated preemptively before ‘Tino’ made landfall. As of Tuesday morning, 362 evacuation centers remain open, housing nearly 40,000 evacuees.
Flooding has been reported in several parts of Cebu, especially in central and southern areas, as heavy rains continue. Some houses in parts of Siargao and Eastern Visayas were damaged, while ports in the Bicol region temporarily suspended operations, leaving passengers stranded in Matnog, Sorsogon.
Alejandro noted that coordination with local government units is ongoing to address the need of displaced residents. He also said they are monitoring the situation in Bogo City—epicenter of a recent major earthquake—particularly the residents staying at tent cities.
Power has been cut off in several provinces for safety reasons, with reports of toppled electric poles delaying restoration efforts. The OCD is coordinating with the Department of Energy to hasten the restoration of electricity and communication lines once conditions improve.
According to Southern Leyte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (PDRRMO) Danilo Atienza, the town of Silago bore the brunt of ‘Tino’ in their province, with more than 1,000 families or about 5,000 individuals seeking shelter in evacuation centers.
Power remains out across the entire province since Monday night, while communication lines are limited. Atienza said they are relying on mobile and Starlink connections at the provincial Emergency Operations Center for coordination.
Local officials are considering placing Southern Leyte under a state of calamity depending on the results of their ongoing rapid damage and needs assessment.
As ‘Tino’ continues to affect Western Visayas, the OCD said it remains on high alert, with helicopters and sea assets ready to be deployed for rescue and relief operations once weather conditions improve.
