TD Usman leaves 50 dead in Bicol region

This general view shows a flooded area in the town of Baao in Camarines Sur province on December 30, 2018. – (Photo by Simvale SAYAT / AFP)

 

(Eagle News) – At least 50 people were killed because of the onslaught of Tropical Depression Usman in the Bicol region, according to the latest update from the Office of Civil Defense on Sunday, December 30.

The fatalities were mostly victims of drowning and landslide. There were 15 killed in Albay, 16 in Camarines Sur, six in Sorsogon, six in Camarines Norte, and seven in Masbate.

As of 5 p.m., Sunday, the OCF said that 11 people were reported missing, and 11 others were injured.
Usman, which weakened into a low pressure area before leaving the country on Sunday 11 a.m.

It affected 266 barangays in the Bicol region, and more than 2,400 families or 7,470 individuals stayed in the 35 evacuation centers during the storm.

A state of calamity was earlier declared in the towns of Polangui and Bulan.
Flights to Naga City Airport in Camarines Sur and Legazpi City Airport were also cancelled on Sunday.

So far, the estimated cost of agricultural damages was more than P2.3 million.

While Usman has already left the country, its trough is expected to bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Palawan. It will also continue to enhance the Northeast Monsoon over Luzon, bringing cloudy skies with light rains over Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon.

The rest of Luzon including Metro Manila will have improved weather apart from isolated light rains while Visayas and Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with localized thunderstorms on Monday, December 31