Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 21) — Local authorities said the death toll in Leyte due to Tropical Depression Agaton, which triggered multiple landslides, has climbed to 182 as of Thursday.
Baybay City was worst-hit, with 126 recorded killed after a landslide triggered by the storm last week buried homes, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. Search and retrieval operations are ongoing, with 63 still reported missing.
The other 56 deaths in the province were from Abuyog town which was also hit by a landslide, officials said.
Meanwhile, figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) are lower, as some reports and documents from local officials have yet to be submitted and verified.
The NDRRMC listed only 156 deaths in Eastern Visayas, where Leyte is located. Of this count, it clarified it has so far only confirmed one casualty.
Nationwide, the agency’s death toll stood at 178, the same as Wednesday’s figure. Only 18 of the victims have so far been validated. It noted, however, that at least 46 more were reported killed, which would bring the country’s total to 224 upon confirmation.
At least 111 individuals were reported missing due to Agaton’s onslaught while eight were injured, according to the NDRRMC. Again, these numbers have yet to be validated.
Tacloban City-based correspondent Wil Mark Amazona contributed to this report.
