CABANATUAN CITY — Over P41.5-million worth of damages to agriculture and fisheries due to Tropical Cyclone Ulysses was initially reported in Central Luzon, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-3 said.
A total of 271,660 persons, belonging to 59,505 families from 89 barangays were affected during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses, it added.
Of the figure, some 17,511 persons or 5,312 families were preemptively evacuated to safer grounds and in various evacuation centers in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, and Bataan.
Also reported were nine injured individuals due to falling tree-incidents that occurred in Nueva Ecija (five), Aurora (four) and Zambales (two).
Totally-damaged houses were listed at 20 with 148 houses partially-damaged in Nueva Ecija (71); Bulacan (59); and Pampanga (38).
In Nueva Ecija, San Antonio Mayor Arvin C. Salonga said clearing operations were immediately conducted as uprooted trees blocked several roads in Bgys. Poblacion, Maugat, and San Mariano.
In Gapan City, destroyed were some structures at the city plaza. Also torn down was its famous giant Christmas Tree inside the compound.
In Cabanatuan City, makeshift stalls owned by market vendors displaced by a recent fire that gutted the city public market were also destroyed by the typhoon.
The regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highway also reported that a total of 47 roads and eight bridges – Nueva Ecia – six roads and four bridges; Aurora – six; Bataan – three roads; Bulacan – 18 roads, four bridges; Pampanga – 13; and Tarlac – one, remained impassable to any type of vehicles as of 12 noon Friday.
Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Maria Theresa R. Escolano, chair of the RDRRMO-3, said at least P317,540 worth of financial aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region 3 (P148,500) and concerned local government units (P169,040) have already been given to affected families in Bulacan.
At least 73 LGUs have experienced power outages due to toppled power transmission lines in two towns in Nueva Ecija; two in Aurora, Bataan (six); Bulacan (17); Pampanga (20); Tarlac (18); and Zambales (eight).
