Vice Governor: Death toll could go up to 80

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte - The provincial government placed the entire Lanao del Norte under a state of calamity Saturday afternoon following deaths and devastation caused by Tropical Storm Vinta.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Lanao del Norte made the decision in a special session following severe flooding in different towns across the province.

A 5 percent calamity fund will be used by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to augment funds to address immediate needs of 11 severely flooded municipalities: Maigo, Salvador, Kauswagan, Tubod, Lala, Kapatagan, Bacolod, Munai, Kolambugan, Tangcal, and Sapad.

Vice Governor Maria Cristina Atay said 43 bodies have been retrieved in search and retrieval operation as of 11 a.m. She said the death toll could go as high as 80.

A total of 25 people have been confirmed dead from the municipalities of Salvador, Munai, and Tubod due to flash floods while 5,295 families or 19,189 individuals have evacuated to 30 different evacuation areas, including schools, day care centers and mosques.

More than 200 houses were totally destroyed while 28 were partially damaged.