The reported death toll from Tropical Storm Agaton has risen to 224 with 147 people still missing, disaster officials said Thursday. Of the reported deaths, 178 have been verified.
Those missing were mostly in Eastern Visayas, where massive landslides occurred on April 10 in Baybay City and on April 11 in Abuyog town, both in Leyte Province, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
Rescuers have slowed the retrieval of bodies buried under landslides as they are taking precautions with the ground in the affected areas remaining unstable.
Agaton, the first tropical storm to hit the Philippines this year, made landfall on April 10, affecting more than 2 million people across the Visayas region and parts of Mindanao Island in the south.
The agency added that more than 11,000 houses were damaged, while the estimated cost of damage to agriculture has reached P257 million.
Damage to agricultural produce and infrastructures caused by Agaton rose to P2.8 billion as of April 21, with fresh reports of destruction from the Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Caraga.
Based on the report, the typhoon affected the livelihood of 64,525 farmers and fishers. Production loss from standing crops was estimated at 89,093 metric tons (MT) from 31,645 hectares of damaged agricultural lands.
Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, livestock, and fisheries. Damage to agricultural infrastructure, machineries and equipment have yet to be revalidated, the Department of Agriculture said.
The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday announced price freeze on household liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene products for 15 days in more areas placed under a state of calamity due to Tropical Depression Agaton.
In an advisory, the DOE said the price freeze on LPG and kerosene is now in effect in Sara and Passi City, both in Iloilo, from April 12 to 26, 2022.
Meanwhile, the price freeze on petroleum products is in effect from April 13 to 27 in Lemery, Iloilo and Potatan, Leyte.
The DOE declared a price freeze on LPG and kerosene in several areas under state of calamity last week.
The NDRRMC said assistance worth P64 million has been provided to regions affected by Agaton.
This includes financial aid, family food packs, tents, and kitchen sets that were given to victims in Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Caraga, and Bangsamoro.
The NDRRMC said 11,279 houses were damaged—10,519 partially and 760 totally—in Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.