Life back to normal in Boracay after typhoon
Boracay Island is returning to normal in the aftermath of the typhoon "Frank" that ravaged Western Visayas.
Senior Insp. Auxilio Dador, chief of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office, said residents and employees of resorts and hotels have been cleaning up the debris and damage brought by Franklin.
The white beach, the island-resort's main attraction has been largely spared but strong winds and rampaging waters damaged resorts and houses at the Bolabog beach at the opposite side of the 1,000-hectare island. Bolabog is a site favored for waters sports like jet skiing, para-sailing and surfing.
Frank damaged or destroyed P50 million worth of property including walls of resorts along the Bolabog beach, speedboats and pumpboats.
Lilibeth Sacapaño, village chief of Balabag, one of the three barangays of the island, said the storm flooded some areas reaching knee-high.
Electricity remains down on the Island as in the rest of Aklan province and is expected to be restored within the week. Resorts have been relying on generators.
Resort owner Nenette Graf said in a telephone interview Boracay was spared the massive damage incurred by the capital town of Kalibo.
Resort and hotel owners belonging to the Boracay Foundation Inc. ((BFI) have launched a campaign to gather ready-to-eat food, drinking water and bed sheets for Aklanons left homeless or who have been evacuated.
Senior Supt. Benigno Durana, Aklan provincial director, said the death toll in the province reached 55 as of 4 p.m. yesterday. 79 others were injured while seven remain missing.
Frank destroyed 8,739 houses and damaged 17,257 others. Around 36,992 persons have been evacuated and 147,820 Aklanons have been affected by the typhoon, Durana said in a telephone interview.