Death toll of typhoon Saola rises to 26 in the Philippines

NDRRMC executive officer and concurrent Office of Civil Defense administrator Benito Ramos said the new fatalities included four people who drowned respectively in Ilocos Sur and Bulacan provinces. A man in Capiz died after he was electrocuted. Seven others were hit by fallen trees.

Ramos said the four fishermen from Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, previously reported as missing aboard motor bancas, have already been rescued.

Meanwhile, Ramos said, the number of affected population has risen to 331,588, among which 12,000 people were housed in 61 evacuation centers where they are being taken cared of by relief workers.

About 2,786 houses were either destroyed or damaged by the typhoon. Damage to property was initially placed at 2.13 million pesos (50,993 U.S. dollars).