Official death toll from typhoon 'Haiyan' in Philippines rises to 229

The offical death toll announced by the Philippine government from typhoon "Haiyan" rose to 229 by Sunday evening. As of 6 p.m., the official count of deaths was 229, with 28 others missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said. The affected population has gone up to 9.5 million, of which 447,675 persons were arranged in 1,645 evacuation centers. Executive Secretary Pacquito Ochoa Jr. presided over a NDRRMC meeting at Camp Aguinaldo in Metro Manila. The meeting, which was still ongoing by 8 p.m., discussed issues of relief operations and restoration of communication lines, among others. The cost of damages by typhoon "Haiyan" came to 138.55 million pesos (3.2 million U.S. dollars), the disaster relief agency said. Asked on reports that 10,000 people could have died in Tacloban city alone, NDRRMC spokesman Reynaldo Balido said "we are not confirming it." Typhoon "Haiyan," also known locally as "Yolanda", has wrought destruction across the Visayas region and other coastal areas.