13K Catanduanes houses destroyed by TS ‘Rolly’

Super Typhoon “Rolly” has left five people dead, injured four and destroyed some 13,000 houses along the coastlines of Catanduanes towns when it made its first landfall in Bato town at 4:50 AM on Monday, Nov. 1, Gov. Joseph Cua said.

Cua said they also totally lost electric power and communication signals after 80 percent of the electric cooperative’s facilities and telecommunication lines were toppled down by “Rolly” as it barreled through Bato, Gigmoto. Baras, San Andres, and Virac.

“Rolly is stronger and more devastating than super typhoons that hit Catanduanes, such as Rosing in 1995 and Nina in 2016,” Cua said.

He said that Rolly spawned up to five-meter high storm surges along the coastlines of the island province. Cua said that major roads across Catanduanes remained not passable due to landslides and fallen trees that render access to hard-hit towns very difficult.

“We really need help from our national government. We are also requesting telcos to expedite their restoration efforts so that we could establish again contact into and outside Catanduanes, particularly the family members and relatives of our constituents,” Cua said.

Cua also requested for drinking water, saying that facilities of the water utilities were also destroyed resulting to the cut off water supply in the province.

Damage to infrastructure also reached P700 million up to P1billion, Cua said.

Devastation to Abaca plantations also reached P400 million, Cua said, noting that abaca is the major industry in Catanduanes as it contributes P150-million in monthly revenue.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque asked Cua to list down all the aids they are urgently needing so that they could be loaded to the C-130 plane that would ferry the requested supplies to Catanduanes on Monday, Nov. 2.

The Philippine Army assigned in Catanduanes also requested for additional personnel to augment their distribution of relief goods across the province.