‘Betty’ affects 30,000 people in six regions
MANILA, Philippines — Cyclone Betty (Mawar) has so far affected over 30,000 people from Luzon and Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Thursday.
In its latest report, the NDRRMC said Betty has affected 30,506 individuals in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas. Of those, 5,990 people were pre-emptively evacuated.
One man from Benguet was reported to be injured.
The NDRRMC also said the initial cost of damage to infrastructure in CAR was estimated at around P68,695. Meanwhile, the cost of damage to agriculture in the region was initially pegged at P25,000.
The government has provided assistance amounting to P1.95 million to residents affected by Betty.
Betty—the country’s second cyclone this year—entered the Philippine area of responsibility as a super typhoon over the weekend. PAGASA downgraded Betty into a severe tropical storm Thursday.
It is forecast to exit the country’s monitoring area Thursday afternoon or evening after bringing heavy rain and strong wind, and enhancing the southwest monsoon (habagat). — Gaea Katreena Cabico