The death toll from typhoon “Tino” climbed to 26, with most of the fatalities reported in Central Visayas, as storm forced tens of thousands to flee their homes across the Visayas and parts of Northern Mindanao, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Of the confirmed fatalities, 22 were recorded in Central Visayas (Region 7), two in the Negros Island Region (NIR), and one each in Western Visayas (Region 6) and Eastern Visayas (Region, according to Office of Civil Defense (OCD) spokesperson Junie Castillo.
Among the casualties was a 52-year-old barangay tanod from Barangay Danao in Panglao, Bohol, who was struck by a falling coconut tree while attempting to cut it down for safety.
He was rushed to the Gov. Celestino Gallares Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.
“We have received an initial count of 26 dead. The details are still undergoing validation. Most of them were in Cebu province—many people drowned there,” Castillo said.
Other reported causes of death included landslides, falling debris, and electrocution.
The NDRRMC said Tino affected at least 59,918 individuals or 17,124 families in 371 barangays across Regions 6, 7, 8, NIR, and Caraga (Region 13).
As of Tuesday, 32,286 individuals or 9,170 families were staying in 362 evacuation centers, while 10,641 individuals or 3,300 families sought shelter in safer areas outside government-designated facilities.
Severe weather conditions also stranded 4,372 passengers, 1,674 rolling cargoes, 83 vessels, and one motorbanca across 120 ports, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
Meanwhile, 921 vessels and 593 motorbancas took shelter as a precaution against the typhoon’s effects.
In Surigao del Norte, power was restored in Barangay Central, Placer but all 15 barangays in Pilar town remain without electricity. Generator sets have been deployed to sustain critical facilities.
The previously impassable Wright-Taft-Borongan Road in Eastern Samar has since been cleared and reopened to traffic.
Relief efforts were intensified in Western Visayas as the OCD Region VI, led by Director Raul E. Fernandez, turned over 2,000 bags of rice to the Capiz provincial government through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
The assistance reinforced the province’s food stockpile amid the storm’s continuing threat.
At the national level, OCD Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the agency has fully mobilized response clusters, with social workers, medical teams, and search and rescue units from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) all on standby.
“We have already alerted all our response agencies down to the regional centers. The DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] is ready to augment resources while our health, rescue, and security teams remain on alert,” Alejandro said.
“We urge everyone to stay safe, follow official advisories, and avoid spreading misinformation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Castillo confirmed that the NDRRM Operations Center (NDRRMOC) has been placed under red alert status.
He warned that while Tino’s core path cuts through Eastern Visayas, its wide coverage also affects parts of Southern Luzon and Northern Mindanao, including Dinagat Islands and Siargao.
“Pre-emptive evacuation must continue, especially in low-lying and landslide-prone areas,” Castillo said.
“Some families in Cebu are still in tent cities after the earthquake, and we are ensuring their transfer to sturdier shelters designed to withstand the typhoon,” he noted.
Despite the scale of displacement, Castillo assured that food and non-food supplies have already been prepositioned and continuously replenished while personnel and equipment were ready for immediate deployment.
Alejandro reminded the public to stay indoors, monitor verified updates from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and local governments, and keep emergency kits ready as Tino continued to sweep across the Visayas.
“Our preparations are all about saving lives. Stay alert, stay informed, and stay safe,” he said. (Martin Sadongdong)
