The Philippine Office of Civil Defense announced that at least eight people were killed and more than 3,800 families were affected by the devastating effects of Tropical Cyclone Basiang (internationally known as Sanba), which struck large areas of the country, causing massive floods and deadly landslides.
Details of human and material losses
In an official statement, Diego Agustín Mariano, deputy spokesperson for the Civil Defense Office, explained that the casualties were concentrated in several areas in the south of the country. Four deaths were recorded in the city of Cagayan de Oro as a result of a landslide that swept through a residential area, while three people died in the city of Iligan due to flash floods that inundated homes. Another drowning was reported in the province of Agustin del Norte. Mariano emphasized that these figures are still preliminary and are subject to ongoing verification and auditing by the relevant authorities in the affected areas.
The Philippines is facing natural disasters
The Philippines, located in the Pacific Ring of Fire and Typhoon Corridor, is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. An average of 20 typhoons of varying intensity and impact strike the country annually, placing immense strain on its infrastructure and emergency response systems. These typhoons frequently cause significant loss of life and property, and severely impact vital sectors such as agriculture and fishing, on which a large portion of the population depends.
Widespread impact of Typhoon Pasiang
Typhoon Pashiang's impact extended beyond human lives, affecting daily life and infrastructure. Local authorities reported that approximately 3,800 families were directly affected by rising floodwaters in their areas. The situation necessitated the evacuation of over 1,000 people in Cagayan de Oro alone to temporary shelters. Furthermore, extremely dangerous sea conditions disrupted maritime traffic, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at various ports across the country and further complicating relief and rescue operations.
