Albay, Cam Sur under state of calamity due to 'Bebeng'

At least two provinces in the Bicol Region were placed under a state of calamity in the wake of destruction caused by Tropical Storm Bebeng (Aere). The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the provincial boards of Albay and Camarines Sur passed resolutions to the effect. In its 6 a.m. Wednesday update, the NDRRMC said this also stemmed from the recommendations of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. But the Bicol RDRRMC also recommended that the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration include flood and landslide warnings in its severe weather bulletings. The RDRRMC also recommended that its disaster operations center get at least one additional cell phone to relay warning bulletins via SMS, "and avoid clogging of messages during emergency situation." Death toll The death toll remained at 24, with six injured and two still missing. Also, the NDRRMC said at least P130.394 million in property was damaged in the wake of the storm. But the NDRRMC indicated the estimated damage may still go up as the P130.394 million covers only two regions — Bicol and Central Visayas. In Bicol, the NDRRMC said 7,245 hectares of rice, corn, high-value commercial crops and livestock were affected, with the loss amounting to P117,825,132.31. On the other hand, about P12,569,360, including P936,360 in rice and P11.633 million in high-value commercial crops, was lost in Zambales province in Central Luzon. At least four hectares of farmlands were affected by a landslide in Bairan village in Naga City in Cebu. A total of 61 houses were destroyed and 8,306 damaged in Central Luzon, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas. Four houses were destroyed and 37 damaged in Bulacan. The NDRRMC said "Bebeng" affected 71,267 families or 376,888 people in 464 villages in 65 towns, five cities and 12 provinces. Of these, 2,913 families or 14,566 people are still in 86 evacuation centers. Casualties And even as the death toll remained at 24, the NDRRMC made slight changes, removing the name of Dodoy Ronan (Bicol) and adding Teotimo Manaban Cabrador, 43, of Pamplona in Negros Oriental. It said Cabrador died of drowning last May 8. Still listed as missing were Agmeti Condat, 66, of Tiwi, Albay; and George Barreda, 56, of Siuton village in Magallanes town in Sorsogon. — RSJ, GMA News