Even as parts of Aurora remained isolated and without power, residents across Luzon heaved a sigh of relief as Typhoon Labuyo left the Philippines with a whimper.
Initially packing maximum winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of 210 kph as it threatened to move west-northwest at 19 kph Sunday night, Typhoon Labuyo weakened after making landfall in Aurora Monday morning even as classes were suspended by local government units and schools.
Mega Manila had braced for a supertyphoon but except for rain showers, the region hardly felt Typhoon Labuyo.
The death toll from Typhoon Labuyo (Utor) rose to two as of early Tuesday, with the latest fatality from Nueva Vizcaya, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
Some schools and local government units still suspended classes Tuesday even as all public storm signals were lowered, as precaution.
Initially packing maximum winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of 210 kph as it threatened to move west-northwest at 19 kph Sunday night, Typhoon Labuyo weakened after making landfall in Aurora Monday morning even as classes were suspended by local government units and schools.
Mega Manila had braced for a supertyphoon but except for rain showers, the region hardly felt Typhoon Labuyo.
The death toll from Typhoon Labuyo (Utor) rose to two as of early Tuesday, with the latest fatality from Nueva Vizcaya, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
Some schools and local government units still suspended classes Tuesday even as all public storm signals were lowered, as precaution.
In its 5 a.m. update, the NDRRMC also said the damage to property in Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon alone initially amounted to P57.46 million.
According to the NDRRMC, the latest fatality was Reynaldo dela Cruz, 53, a resident of Barangay Domang in Dupax del Sur in Nueva Vizcaya.
Dela Cruz reportedly drowned at 2 p.m. Monday, and his body was found three hours later.
Earlier, the NDRRMC identified the first fatality as Joemar Salicong, 22, of Benguet.
Salicong was killed in a landslide.
Still missing are at least 11 people, including nine fishermen.
The NDRRMC identified two of them as Benny Amario, of San Antonio in San Agustin, Isabela; and Julio Balanoba, 48, of Barangay Kayhuvukan in Basco, Batanes.
Affected by Labuyo were at least 7,100 families or 31,256 people in 154 villages in 45 towns and three cities in 12 provinces in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, and Cordillera.
Some 69 evacuation centers were set up to accommodate the affected people.
The NDRRMC also said 1,158 were still stranded as of 4 p.m. Monday.
Lifelines
The NDRRMC said 23 roads and 13 bridges were damaged, while power outages were reported in 13 areas.
Communication interruptions were also noted in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera.
At least 229 houses were destroyed and 1,348 were damaged.
Damage
Damage to property as of early Tuesday was estimated at P57,459,573.58 in Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon, including P14,328,823.58 in agriculture in Cagayan Valley.
The damage to infrastructure in Aurora alone amounted to P38,655,000. Damage to agriculture there amounted to P4,475,750.
3 areas in Aurora still isolated
NDRRMC spokesman Reynaldo Balido said that as of Tuesday morning, three towns in Aurora were still cut off.
Aurora Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council head Elson Egargue identified the three towns as Casiguran, Dilasag and Dinalungan.
In a separate interview on dzBB, Egargue said power had been restored to Central Aurora and Baler and Maria Aurora, but the three isolated towns are still without power.
Kennon Road
Balido, in an interview on dzBB radio, also said Kennon Road is still closed, and advised motorists to use Marcos Highway instead.
"Mas maganda ang mahaba(ng daan). Mas magandang safe kaysa delikado ang daanan," he said on dzBB
