Gov. Roel Degamo has appealed to Oriental Negrenses to send in donations in cash or in kind to help the typhoon victims especially in hardest hit areas like Tacloban and other parts of Leyte.
These can be coursed through the provincial office of the Department of Social Welfare & Development or the Office of the Governor, said Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Director Adrian Sedillo.
Governor Degamo called on his constituents to pray for the souls of those who perished during the wrath of “Yolanda” as he admitted having mixed emotions because Negros Oriental was spared from the super typhoon.
He thanked the PDRRMC member agencies, organizations and the media for their support, commitment and dedication in minimizing the impact of “Yolanda” in Negros Oriental.
In the aftermath of the super typhoon “Yolanda” life has returned to normal for residents of Negros Oriental after the deadliest storm to hit the country this year left minimal damage to the province compared to other areas in the country.
The PDRRMC reported a zero fatality rate in Negros Oriental, with the casualties involving only two people who sustained injuries but no deaths or missing persons were reported as “Yolanda” pummeled through the Philippines, specifically the Visayas region on Friday.
A man was injured in Vallehermoso, the northeast town of Negros Oriental after a tree branch pinned him down as it fell on the roof of his multi-cab, while another was hurt in Guihulngan City after a coconut tree fell on that person, said Sedillo.
A fisherman who was earlier reported missing as strong winds and heavy rains hit Negros Oriental Friday was located later in the day after he had reportedly sought cover elsewhere.
Except for felled trees, toppled posts and broken lines that cut off power supply in Negros Oriental and its capital, Dumaguete City, the impact of the Category 5 typhoon that packed maximum sustained winds of more than 200 kph was hardly felt in the province.
An estimated 18,000 individuals or 5,000 families were initially reported to have evacuated from their homes, whether forcibly or voluntary, as a pre-emptive measure as early as Thursday evening to lessen the risks. After the storm had passed, they left the evacuation centers late Friday or early Saturday to return home, said Sedillo. (PNA)
