towards Adrian H. Halili and Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Journalists
Typhoon Full-Wong, locally known as Uwan, left at least 18 possible landfalls caused by heavy rains across Luzon and Visas, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Tuesday.
OCD Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro Iv said the injured were reported in Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Bicol region (Region 5), and Eastern Vitayas (Region 8).
“There were three in District 2, 12 by car mainly because of land invasion, one in District 5 because of drowning, one in District 6 because of the district,” said Mr. Alejandro told a healthy forum.
He added that the authorities have prepared for 28 injuries and two missing people as a result of the storm surge.
The Philippines remains under a state of calamity after twin typhoons wreaked havoc in several regions.
The country was still recovering from the effects of Typhoon Kalmaegi (Local Name: Tino), which killed more than 200 people, when it hit large parts of Luzon on Sunday evening.
Wan, 21east The typhoon that hit the Philippines this year, caused flash floods, storm surges, strong winds and more than 6,900 local villages. Out of 2.4 million people, about 804,000 sought refuge in evacuation centers.
Uwan, which has reached Super Typhoon status, has since weakened as it moved across Luzon, exiting the Philippine area of responsibility (par) on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
In a letter at 11 AM, the Philippine Atmospheric Administration (Pagasa) Administration (Pagasa) said the typhoon weakened to a severe tropical storm as it moved outside of Taiwan.
Parts of North Luzon continue to feel the effects of Uwan, with Pagasa Amplifying Signal No. 2 over batanes and the western part of Ilocos Norte; While other parts of Cagayan Valley, Car, and Ilocos Region are under the low wind signal.
Uwan was last seen 370 kilometers West Northwest of Calayan, Cagayan and is moving north-northwest at 10 kilometers per hour (kph). It had a solid top speed of 110 kph near the center and centered around 135 kph.
Pagasa noted that Uwan may re-enter par on Wednesday evening as he makes landfall on Taiwan’s southwest coast.
The Weather Bureau has also maintained a road warning to avoid sailing in north and central seas, advising vessels to stay in port or seek a safe harbor until conditions improve.
Disaster Response
Meanwhile, electricity and telecommunication services have been restored in more than half of the areas affected by Uwan, as cabinet secretaries were sent to oversee the response and restoration of operations in all areas of the Visayas and Bicol, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Citing information from the Department of Energy (DoE), Palace Press Off manager Carrissa A. Castro reported that power has been restored to 712 municipalities that were hit by the storm, or about 60% of the affected areas.
Citing the Secretary of Energy Sharon S. Garin, Ms. Castro said that the restoration work continues with nearly three million customers without power, while 60 electricity remains under close monitoring.
Initial estimates by Doe put the damage to power infrastructure at more than P4 million.
Meanwhile, telecommunications services have also been gradually restored, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICE).
As of 8 am on Tuesday, 82% of the Smart network, 77% of the world, 73% of the dito’s, and 79% of the connections of 79% are coming back to the Internet.
Ms. Castro quoted Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda when she looked closely at the rehabilitation centers where communication is always very important for the survival and functioning of things.
Efforts to help the government are ongoing, he noted. The National Disaster Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said P324.1 million in Aid has been distributed to families affected by Typhoon Tino, while P48.1 million has been disbursed to communities hit by Uwan.
Social Security Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchaline, currently in Catanduanes, reported that 600,000 packs of family food were distributed in the two affected districts of Thshoon.
Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa, who was in Leyte, said millions of medical supplies and healthy food items were sent to five municipalities in southern Leyte, including Silago and Sogod.
Secretary of Education Juan Edgardo M. Adgara has been inspecting the damaged schools in Negros Occidental to check for systematic safety, while Tourism Ma. Christina G. Frasco assesses the extent of damage to tourism sites and facilities.
The Philippines sits on the edge of the Pacific rift, an area formed by a combination of massive seismic and volcanic activity that surrounds the Pacific Ocean.
This position makes the country one of the most disaster prone in the world, facing constant earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis.
This geologic setting has shaped the landscape and posed persistent challenges for infrastructure, disaster preparedness and economic resilience.
