Rescue teams using backhoes and chainsaws have begun clearing debris and restoring access to isolated communities after Super Typhoon Uwan left widespread destruction across northern Luzon.
According to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), 18 people have been confirmed dead, 28 injured, and two missing in the latest tally.
“We are struggling to access these areas,” said Cagayan Valley spokesman Alvin Ayson, noting that landslides cut off several towns in Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. He added that many evacuees “will face challenges rebuilding their homes.”
Deputy civil defense administrator Rafaelito Alejandro said casualties could still rise, though a significant increase is unlikely.
Uwan, which displaced 1.4 million people, has weakened into a severe tropical storm as it moved toward Taiwan, days after Typhoon Tino claimed 232 lives across the central Philippines.