Iloilo: Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi) has affected 323,744 families or over 1.04 million individuals in Western Visayas, leaving six deaths, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) reported on Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, as of 10 p.m. on Monday, only 115 or 384 persons are left in 115 evacuation centers, while 35 families or 136 individuals are still with their relatives or friends, the RDRRMC said. “I’m happy to note that we have a large number of preemptively evacuated families, reaching 43,373, which means we have lessened the potential of having casualties. Our casualties were isolated cases,” RDRRMC chairperson Raul Fernandez said in an interview. ‘Those who died unnecessarily exposed themselves to risks,’ he said. The deaths were recorded in Capiz with three, and one each in Antique, Guimaras, and Iloilo.

He added that with the preemptive evacuation, they have not recorded any rescue operations conducted by responders because families at risk are already inside temporary shelters. The onslaught of the typhoon also left 20,888 damaged houses — over 529 were totally destroyed, while 20,359 were partially damaged. Iloilo reported 7,463 damaged houses; Guimaras, 4,985; Antique has 4,627; Aklan, 2,997; and Capiz with 816 houses.

Fernandez said they are trying to facilitate possible assistance to families with damaged houses with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. He said there are local government units that have already requested housing assistance, which they forwarded to the department.

Meanwhile, the RDRRMC said the cost of damage to infrastructure in Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, and Aklan amounted to PHP56.21 million. Data provided by the Department of Public Works and Highways showed that 15 infrastructures were damaged across the region – eight in Iloilo, three in Aklan, and two each in Antique and Guimaras. Fernandez said most of the affected were roads and bridges, including the old Oyungan bridge in the town of Miagao and the road slip in Tiolas, San Joaquin, all in Iloilo.

In terms of agriculture, the sector reported over PHP46.53 million in production losses — Iloilo with PHP21.94 million; Guimaras with PHP10.31 million; Aklan, PHP4.13 million; Antique, PHP7.04 million; and Capiz with PHP3.1 million.