Super Typhoon Nando Claims 11 Lives, Displaces Over Half a Million in the Philippines

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on Thursday, September 25, that Super Typhoon "Nando" has resulted in at least 11 deaths and affected over 508,000 people across multiple regions in the Philippines. Undersecretary Harold Cabreros, OCD administrator, provided updates on the casualties and relief operation status.

Of the 11 confirmed fatalities, seven occurred in Cagayan after a boat capsized near Sta. Ana town. Two deaths in Bataan and one in Cagayan were caused by fallen debris, while another fatality in Benguet was attributed to a landslide. Cabreros emphasized that these figures are still being verified and clarified that two previously reported deaths in Aurora, initially linked to Tropical Cyclone "Mirasol," were unrelated to the current weather disturbances.

The typhoon has affected approximately 147,000 families, totaling 508,000 individuals, across 1,975 barangays in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, National Capital Region (NCR), MIMAROPA, and Bicol.

In response, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) activated multiple response clusters to manage ongoing operations for both Super Typhoon "Nando" and Severe Tropical Storm "Opong." These clusters encompass Logistics; Food and Non-Food Items distribution; Search, Rescue, and Retrieval; Health services; Law and Order maintenance; Camp Coordination and Management; Protection of Internally Displaced Persons; Crisis Communications; Education; Emergency Telecommunications; and Clearing of Debris and Civil Works.

Agricultural losses have been preliminarily estimated at PHP 15.3 million, affecting 744 hectares and causing the loss of 1,360 metric tons of produce, impacting 909 farmers. The Ilocos Region reported the majority of damages amounting to PHP 14 million, followed by Western Visayas with PHP 861,000 and Calabarzon with PHP 488,000.

To date, the national government has disbursed approximately PHP 11 million in assistance to affected families, with relief efforts ongoing. Cabreros assured that various government agencies remain committed to providing additional food and non-food aid, which will be increased as necessary to support the affected communities.

"Various government agencies have assured that additional food and non-food aid are available for distribution and will be further augmented as needed," Cabreros stated, underscoring the coordinated efforts to address the typhoon's impact.