Situation Overview
On October 29, TS Rolly entered the Philippines Area of Responsibility and rapidly intensified into a typhoon. TY Rolly reached category 5 when it made its first landfall over Bato, Catanduanes at around 4:50 am, it made its second landfall over Tiwi, Albay at 7:20, it made its third landfall over San Narciso, Quezon at 12:00 and made its fourth landfall in Lobo, Batangas on November 1.
Typhoon Rolly was labelled as an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that hit the Philippines this year. With the peak wind of 225 kph, TY Rolly was comparable to super typhoon Haiyan, which killed about 6,000 people in 2013. Prior to the landfall of Typhoon Rolly, the government enforced pre-emptive evacuation on the communities in low lying areas. Thousands of families are displaced from their homes during a pandemic. Adding to the deluge faced by the displaced families is keeping themselves safe from the threat of COVID-19, which can prove difficult in these typically overcrowded situations.
The typhoon’s impact in the southern part of Luzon has been severe, Catanduanes and Albay particularly appear to be hard hit. Typhoon Rolly’s heavy rainfall and strong winds left widespread damage to infrastructures and livelihood. It also caused rivers to overflow, submerging homes, farmland, and roads across the Bicol Region and some portions of CALABARZON, putting the region in a state of crisis. Some of the mentioned areas are still dealing with the damage from the previous typhoon Quinta and the current pandemic, the flooding is only exacerbating previous trouble.
Meanwhile, restoration of power, water supply and provision of food and shelter have been identified as the priority concern. Immediate food assistance is required to provide support to the affected populations, especially in remote areas like Catanduanes which experienced isolation as most of its power lines and communication signal were down by the typhoon.
According to The Department of Energy (DOE), the provinces of Camarines Norte and Sorsogon were fully energized while electricity in Camarines Sur and Albay were partially restored. Around 90 percent of residents of Albay are still experiencing power outtage.
Typhoon Rolly also caused substantial damages to health facilities, schools and essential services. Damages to infrastructures reached 11.3 billion according to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). The Department of Agriculture reports that Typhoon Rolly has decimated Bicol’s Agricultural sector directly impacting livelihood and food security of large percentage of the Region’s population.
(Source: DOST –PAGASA Severe Weather Bulletin , DROMIC-DSWD, NDRRMC,DOE)
Affected Populations
1. According to DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) report, as of November 9, a total of 485,481 families or 1,878,707 person were affected in 5,074 Barangays in Regions NCR, II, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, V, VIII and CAR. In a latest report from DSWD, there are 33,337 families or 128,212 persons who are taking refuge inside and outside evacuations centers across affected regions. There are currently 744 evacuation centers in Regions II,III, CALABARON,V and NCR, sheltering 18,904 families or 72, 502 individuals.
2. The death toll from Typhoon Rolly remain at 22 and 4 people are reported missing. Most deaths were in Albay province, where mud and rocks flowed down from the Mayon Volcano that buried San Franciso Village, within the town of Guinobatan.
3. The confirmed number of damaged houses further increased as responders reach previously isolated areas and assessment reports comes in. At present, 26,982 houses are reported totally damaged and 115, 031 houses sustained partial damages.
4. Damage to agriculture is estimated to be around P2.9 billion worth of damaged crops, livestock, fisheries, and agricultural facilities with a total of 44,712 hectares of agriculture land affected.
5. The provinces of Cavite, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes remain under the State of Calamity.
In the assessments conducted by CDRC, early findings note that the super typhoon caused massive disruptions on the agricultural sector and damaged infrastructures in various parts of Camarines Sur.
Damage Assessments Reports per municipality / Camarines Sur:
Municipality of Pasacao, Camarines Sur
1. According to the municipal report, a total of 984 houses were totally destroyed and 507 houses were partially damaged. An estimate P37,537,450 damages to agriculture was reported. The damages to infrastructures, on the other hand, is estimated to be over P25,000,000. Most of the families have already returned home to rebuild their homes after the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly.
Municipality of Bombon Camarines Sur,
2. In 6 barangays of Bombon, Camarines Sur which includes Brgy.San Jose, Pagao, San Isidro, San Antonio, Siembre, San Roque, San Francisco, and Sto. Domingo, a total of 690 families were directly affected by Typhoon Rolly, of which 439 families were displaced prior to Typhoon Rolly’s landfall. Most of them have already returned home.
3. There were a total 2,487 partially damaged houses and 339 houses were totally destroyed in the 6 barangays. The onslaught of Typhoon Rolly also damaged 46 hectares of farmland.
Municipality of Magarao
4. A total of 1,198 families or 4,707 individuals sought refuge in different evacuation centers in 15 barangays in Magarao, Camarines Sur. The municipality of Magarao inflicted a total of P6, 423,397 worth of agricultural damages that include rice, high-valued crops and livestock. A total of 38 classrooms are partially damaged and 1 classroom needs a major repair. The municipality also incurred an estimated P8,100,000 worth of infrastructural damages.
Municipality of Calabanga
5. As reported, a total of families or 7,107 individuals had been pre-emptively evacuated prior the onset of TY Rolly and stayed in different evacuation centers such as barangay halls, schools and covered courts. There were a total of 1,449 damaged houses and 7,107 were partially damaged according to the local government of Calabanga. Total agricultural damage in the municipality due to TY Rolly has reached an estimated loss of P2,813,658.75, according to the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist. The typhoon has affected 223.7 hectares of farmlands, affecting 451 farmers.
(Source: DROMIC DSWD, Tarabang para sa Bicol (TABI Inc.), DOE, NDRRMC, Municipalities of Camarines Sur)
Emergency Response Efforts
1. Since October 30, CDRC had been monitoring the development of Typhoon Rolly since it was spotted by PAGASA. CDRC is also monitoring the affected areas through its regional networks and constantly updating situation reports.
2. CDRC is coordinating with different agencies and organisations to raise funds and donations for the affected communities.
3. CDRC has already deployed its rapid assessment team since November 2 in some of the hardest-hit areas such as Camarines Sur and Quezon Province to assess the situation on the ground. In spite of the difficulties and challenges regarding power supply and communication signals, CDRC assessment team is co-leading response efforts with the support from its regional centers, STPRC and Tarabang para sa Bicol (TABI Inc). While conducting the damage assessments, CDRC, along with its regional networks started the provision of initial relief (rice) to the affected families. The donations from local individuals has initially reached an estimated 500 families affected by typhoon Rolly.
4. The rapid assessment has gathered assessment data and the results are now being communicated to different partners.
Resources Available
1. Standby emergency funds
2. Prepositioned goods at the CDRC warehouse
3. Monetary and in-kind donations
Expressed Needs
In the assessments made by our Rapid Assessment Team, immediate needs were identified by the families / individuals affected by the typhoon, these include:
4. Food supplies
5. Clean water
6. Hygiene kits
7. Facemasks
8. Primary medicines
9. Sleeping materials
Recovery assistance and reconstruction efforts are also needed to repair damaged infrastructures such as houses, schools, barangay halls, health centers, highways, and electricity poles. Continuous efforts to provide support to the agricultural sector are also needed.
Coordination
1. Regional Center
1. Tarabang for Bicol (TABI Inc)
1. Southern Tagalog People’s Response (STPRC)
2. Community Response for Enlightenment, Service and Transformation Inc. (CREST
3. Alay-Bayan Luzon (ABI Inc)
4. Partners
1. Disaster Preparedness Organisations / Committees (DPO/Cs)
2. People’s Organizations (POs)
3. Musika Publiko
1. iVolunteer Philippines
2. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH)
3. Mercy Relief
4. GlobalGiving
5. World Jewish Relief
6. UN OCHA
7. NAFCON USA
8. Foundation for the Philippine Progress Inc. (FPP)
1. Government Agencies
1. Municipal and Barangay Local Government Units in San Narciso, Mulanay, San Andres, Buenavista, Lopez, and Catanuan in Quezon Province.
2. Municipal Social Welfare Development Offices of San Narciso and Catanauan, Quezon.
3. Barangay LGUs in San Juan, Batangas and Batangas City
4. Municipal Agriculture and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices of Mulanay, Quezon
5. Department of Social Welfare Development Office (Region V)
6. Municipality of Calabanga, Magarao, and Bombon , Camarines Sur.
7. Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Municipality of Pasacao, Camarines Sur
Contacts
1. Hanna Fiel, Deputy Executive Director, 0945-8355589, hanna.fiel.cdrc2019@gmail.com
2. Cora Jazmines, Local Partnerships Department, 0928-182-4969, lpd@cdrc-phil.com