At least nine dead from Tropical Storm ''Enteng''
At least two people were reported dead while 10 were injured in Central Visayas due to Tropical Storm "Enteng" and the southwest monsoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Monday.
Seven persons perished in Antipolo City, dzBB said in an interview with city disaster risk reduction management office head Relly Bernardo.
In a radio interview, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Edgar Posadas said they are still confirming reports on fatalities in other areas, including the Bicol Region, Cebu, and Eastern Visayas.
“In our first sitrep (situational report) we have two deaths. Two are being validated in Region 7 but there is also a reported death in the Bicol Region. We are just waiting for the official report,” Posadas said.
In a report, the NDRRMC said 14 families or 63 individuals were affected by the storm.
Nine families or 43 individuals were served inside evacuation centers while five families or 20 individuals were served outside of them.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) canceled at least 20 domestic flights.
Posadas said that OCD was on red alert.
“We just finished our response cluster meeting and currently the OCD in Camp Aguinaldo is on red alert,” Posadas said.
He said the OCD recommended classes and work in government agencies not involved in disaster response, health emergency, or relief to be suspended.
According to Posadas, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. ordered them to be “one step ahead” in responding to victims of disasters.
“Our President ordered us to be always there, to be one step ahead to provide an efficient, adequate, and relevant response to our countrymen so we can relieve them of their burden, especially during times like these when they are victims of disasters,” he said.
In a press briefing, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said 11 out of 15 response clusters have been activated since 8 pm on Sunday.
“That includes the law and response cluster wherein the PNP leads and the members are the other law enforcement agencies including AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), PCG (Philippine Coast Guard), NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and other agencies under DILG,” Fajardo said.
Fajardo said that PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil ordered the activation of the regional disaster incident management task groups to ensure that they follow management protocols on humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
She added that the focus of their disaster response was in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and the Bicol region.
Fajardo said around 5, 234 police personnel have been deployed to evacuation centers in the Bicol Region and Calabarzon to help with preemptive evacuation. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
