21 dead due to southwest monsoon, two storms: PNP
Twenty-one individuals died due to floods and heavy rains caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by tropical cyclones “Butchoy” and “Carina”, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.
In a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo quoted the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) when she said 21 died, five were missing and 15 were hurt.
“So far based on the initial records of the NDRRMC 21 were recorded dead, 15 are injured and five are missing,” Fajardo told reporters.
She added that they had conducted search and rescue operations and as of 10 am, they had retrieved six bodies and rescued 10,437 individuals.
Fajardo said a mother and her child in Angeles City, Pampanga were reported dead due to a landslide, while there were also deaths due to electrocution.
“We have monitored some kids that died, like in the case of PRO (Police Regional Office) 3, a mother and child in Angeles City were buried in a landslide. The child was five years old. The father was able to escape,” Fajardo said.
“We also monitored some people who died due to electrocution. We are just getting all the data right now and now a conference is ongoing to harmonize our data with NDRRMC,” she added.
Fajardo said there are around 962 areas that are flooded, with Central Luzon being the hardest hit.
Other areas that were submerged in flood include Bulacan, Pampanga, and the National Capital Region, especially Manila City, Quezon City, Camanava, and Marikina City.
In a report, NDRRMC said eight deaths were validated, four of which were in the Zamboanga Peninsula while the other four were in the National Capital Region (NCR), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Northern Mindanao and Davao Region.
Six other deaths are still being verified, including five in Calabarzon and one in BARMM.
Two individuals are reportedly missing in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao while two others were said to be injured in Northern Mindanao.
A total of 245,298 families or 1,115,272 individuals were affected by the monsoon rains.
Of this number, 12,199 families or 51,726 persons were served inside evacuation centers.
NDRRMC said 49 roads and eight bridges were deemed impassable.
The number of cities and municipalities that experienced power interruptions was 27, including those in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Zamboanga Peninsula.
Four cities and municipalities in Calabarzon and Zamboanga Peninsula experienced water interruptions, while two in the Ilocos Region have no communication lines.
Crop losses amounted to P9,706,852.34, with Mimaropa suffering the most losses while damage to irrigation reached P6,560,000.
NDRRMC said damage to infrastructure amounted to P793,551.48.
One airport in Mimaropa is non-operational, while 17 domestic and one international flights were canceled in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, and Zamboanga Peninsula.
NDRRMC also reported that 18 seaports were non-operational, while 246 passengers, 19 cargoes, nine vessels, and five motorbancas were stranded in Calabarzon and Bicol Region.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that from12 am to 4 am, 354 passengers, truck drivers, and cargo helpers, 12 vessels, five motorbancas, and 69 rolling cargoes were stranded, while seven vessels and 13 motorbancas were taking shelter in the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.
A total of 288 cities or municipalities in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and NCR suspended classes, while 206 suspended work in the same regions.
NDRRMC said 21 cities or municipalities were placed under a state of calamity. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
