SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 17 Nov) — Dinagat Islands province, which was placed under storm signal number 4 when Yolanda made six landfalls in the Visayas and Palawan on November 8, suffered around P202 million worth of damages, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) reported.
Rosario Roxas, action officer of PDRRMC-Dinagat, told MindaNews that while the province posted “zero casualty” during Yolanda, it incurred damages to agriculture, infrastructure and houses.
Roxas also said Yolanda displaced at least 5, 623 families or 21,698 individuals. “We were able to provide relief packs to all evacuees through the help of each municipality,” she said.
Dinagat Islands province comprises seven towns — San Jose, Dinagat, Cagdianao, Basilisa, Tubajon, Libjo and Loreto.
Super typhoon Yolanda destroyed some 4,000 houses — 505 totally and 3,467 partially.
She estimated the damage at P171.8 million.
The typhoon also damaged roofs and ceilings of different schools — daycare, elementary and high school buildings – estimated to cost P13.2 million.
The report also said government infrastructure such as barangay gymnasium, barangay hall, ports, and other buildings also suffered damages estimated at P5 million while damage to roads, bridges and seawalls have been estimated at over P1.4 million.
Damage to rice, corn, cassava and sweet potato was estimated at P3.
5 million and another P3.1 million for fruit-bearing trees.
Damage to fish pens, fish corrals and 13 motorized bancas was estimated at P3.2 million.
Some churches were also partially damaged. Estimated cost is P530,000.
The provincial legislature declared a state of calamity on November 12.
Vice Governor Benglen Ecleo said the declaration was intended to hasten the release of funds to be used to help affected families whose houses were totally destroyed.
Meanwhile, PDRRMC Surigao del Norte pegged the damage caused by Yolanda in the province at P43 million. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)
