Two individuals were reported missing in the Negros Island Region (NIR) as Severe Tropical Storm Verbena and the shearline battered five regions across Visayas and Mindanao, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) announced on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Local responders and community volunteers launched search and rescue operations after the missing persons were believed to have been swept away by floodwaters in Bais City and La Libertad, both in Negros Oriental.
“So far, we have no confirmed casualties, but we received reports that are still for validation of two missing individuals: one in Bais City, Negros Oriental, and another in La Libertad, Negros Oriental. These reports are currently being validated, but as of now, we have no confirmed deaths or injuries,” an NDRRMC official stated.
Coordination has been made with barangay emergency teams, local police, and rescue units to verify the circumstances surrounding the incident and expand the search perimeter.
Meanwhile, a total of 78,736 families or 275,458 persons were affected in 473 barangays across Mimaropa (Region 4B), Western Visayas (Region 6), NIR, Central Visayas (Region 7), and Caraga (Region 13).
The weather disturbances displaced 22,235 families or 82,827 individuals, including 48,450 persons staying in 469 evacuation centers while 34,377 others were assisted outside government facilities.
Flooding, landslides
Alejandro said widespread flooding affected 122 areas at the height of the storm. While 23 areas had already cleared and 53 were subsiding, 46 remained flooded across Mimaropa, Region 6, NIR, Eastern Visayas (Region 8), and Caraga.
Alejandro said continuous rains over the past four to five weeks due to back-to-back Typhoon “Tino” and Super Typhoon “Uwan” left soils saturated, worsening flooding in several areas in the Visayas.
“Compared to the two previous storms, this one is relatively weaker but we are still continuously gathering reports. But there was flooding because it really brought a lot of rain.
Verbena also passed through the Visayas and the areas previously hit by Uwan or Tino were the same areas that experienced flooding again,” he said.
Ten rain-induced landslides were also reported: eight in Caraga and two in Western Visayas.
Road access remained limited with 37 road sections and five bridges affected in Calabarzon (Region 4A), Region 6, NIR, and Caraga.
Power outages also hit 19 cities and municipalities across several regions although electricity had been restored in all but one locality in Central Visayas.
One area in Western Visayas also remained without communication lines. (Martin Sadongdong)
