An aerial photo shows one of the areas devastated by landslides brought by Tropical Storm Agaton in Baybay City, Leyte which was inspected by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 15, 2022. King Rodriguez, Presidential Photo
MANILA — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday reported 34 more deaths from the onslaught of Tropical Storm Agaton, raising the death toll to 212.
Of the number, 111 have been confirmed, while 101 others are still being validated by the state disaster response agency.
An additional 21 people have also been reported missing, the NDRRMC said, bringing the total number of missing persons to 132.
Eight people were also hurt by Agaton’s onslaught.
NDRRMC also reported that more than 2.2 million people and 650,000 families were affected by the tropical cyclone when it hit at least 9 regions in the country from April 9 to 12.
More than 77,000 people remained displaced by the storm after losing their homes. Most of them, the NDRRMC said, are reportedly living outside of designated evacuation centers.
Agaton affected the regions of Bicol, Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
The amount of agriculture damage brought by the storm is estimated at P1.3 billion, with 28 million hectares of crops and 25,140 livestock and poultry lost.
A total of 61 cities and towns in Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Davao Region, and CARAGA have also been placed under a state of calamity.
Agaton also destroyed 16,832 houses, as well as 45 bridges, roads, and schools. The total amount of damage to infrastructure was pegged at more than P6.9 million.
Meanwhile, NDRRMC also reported that more than P82 million worth of assistance has been given out to affected residents. The aid includes food packs, meals, tents, rice, canned goods, water, and even cash assistance.
Agaton was the first cyclone to hit the country in 2022.
The Philippines, on average, is visited by around 20 tropical cyclones every year.
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