Over 41,000 affected by Super Typhoon Rosal in N. Luzon, Bicol – DSWD

ILOILO CITY — Some 41,868 people from 13,441 families have been affected by Super Typhoon Rosal in Northern Luzon and the Bicol region, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In its progress report as of 6 a.m. on Saturday, the DSWD said the affected population was spread across 91 barangays in Regions II (Cagayan Valley) and V (Bicol Region).

The report, released through the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication (DROMIC) Division, showed that 125 families or 329 individuals remained displaced and were temporarily staying with relatives or friends outside evacuation centers.

No displaced families or individuals were reported staying inside evacuation centers as of the reporting period.

The agency also recorded no damaged houses in its latest report.

Meanwhile, the DSWD reported that it has P4.707 billion in available relief resources nationwide to support disaster response operations.

Of this amount, P4.613 billion consisted of food and non-food items, while P94.964 million was allocated under the Quick Response Fund.

These resources are available for disaster response operations and are not exclusively allocated to communities affected by Rosal.

The DSWD’s geographical distribution map showed affected communities concentrated in Cagayan Valley and Bicol, including the island province of Catanduanes.

In the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) 5 a.m. update Saturday, it reported that Rosal had weakened slightly while moving over the sea east of Taiwan.

The weather disturbance, which developed on October 20, had earlier affected portions of Northern Luzon and the eastern sections of the country.

The DSWD continues to monitor the situation through its field offices as disaster response and relief operations proceed in affected communities.

The latest figures remain subject to validation and updating as local government units and disaster response agencies submit additional reports. /gsg