BY RIC V. OBEDENCIONo one was injured in the wake of a tornado that hit two barangays in Sandingan Island, Loon town Saturday last week, however, it devastated at least 47 houses and destroyed 4 fishing boats.
In an interview with the Chronicle, out-going Mayor and board member-elect Yul Lopez bared that the windstorm was the first of its kind that hit barangays Calayugan Sur and Calayugan Norte.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development chief Constancia Tuñacao said, in a separate interview, that the composite team of the provincial government was dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of the tornado.
She confirmed that four of the affected houses are totally damaged and two other pump boats destroyed.
She said that the team distributed food with at least 30 kilos of rice per affected household. The rice assistance, 15 sacks of rice, came from the provincial government with additional 10 sacks courtesy of the Department of Social Welfare and Development national office headed by Papiasa Bustrillos, Tuñacao said.
The Bohol Red Cross led by administrator Rita Requeron also brought and distributed canned goods to the victims, she said.
The Sanggguniang Bayan of Loon approved immediately an initial fund assistance to the tune of P30,000, according to Lopez.
He said the local government procured some 100 G.I. sheets and 2,000 nipa shingles for repairs. The mayor directed his workers to immediately distribute the materials to the victims.
Sandingan Island, connected by a causeway from mainland Loon, has eight barangays.
Tornado occurrence in the province was not the first and may not be the last. Years back, an island of Calituban off Talibon town and the causeway that connects barangay Bo-ol and Dauis town were smacked by a tornado.
Tuñacao said that the team will conduct an assessment next week on the extent of the damage caused by the tornado as the islanders' source of livelihood, such as banana plantation and fishing are adversely affected.
(The Bohol Chronicle, 6/24/2007)Linkback:
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