Kristine fatalities increase to 150

The number of fatalities from Severe Tropical Storm Kristine rose to 150 yesterday, with at least 115 injured and 29 reported missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

- - Michael Punongbayan, Evelyn Macairan, Mayen Jaymalin, Pia Lee-Brago

The NDRRMC said most of the fatalities are still being validated and some of the victims have yet to be identified.

Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon have so far affected 1.89 million families or 7.49 million people in 17 regions across the country.

As of yesterday, there were up to 86,565 families or 333,951 people staying in 2,780 evacuation centers.

Kristine and Leon destroyed at least 150,511 houses worth more than P40 million.

Estimated cost of damage to infrastructure has reached P6.39 billion.

Asean air assets help deliver aid

As this developed, air assets from ASEAN member-countries Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are helping deliver relief goods to the Bicol Region.