Deaths from ''Enteng'', monsoon reach 15, 21 missing: OCD
Deaths from tropical storm ''Enteng'' and the southwest monsoon rose to 15, with 21 missing, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Wednesday.
In a situation briefing led by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., OCD Director Cesar Idio said: “There are 15 dead, 15 injured, and 21 missing reported. But these are still subject for validation.”
On Tuesday, officials said deaths occurred mostly during landslides, especially in Antipolo.
Marcos, who inspected the areas affected by ''Enteng'' on an airplane, lamented that several mountainous areas had few or no more forest cover.
''Last year, you can still see something but now you can't see anything,'' Marcos told GMA 7.
''Enteng'' left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday but rains are forecast over some areas, like Metro Manila, on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Idio also said that 21,681 families or 88,077 persons are in evacuation centers while 6,348 families or 18,757 persons are outside evacuation centers.
He added that crop losses amounted to P351 million, affecting 13,623 farmers with volume of production loss at 14,814 metric tons and 8,893 hectares of agricultural areas of rice, corn, and high-value crops.
Idio also said that 121 cities or municipalities affected by flooding in cities and municipalities in the Ilocos, Central Luzon, NCR, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas.
He said 50 areas remain flooded while 59 have subsided and 12 have receded. DMS-Jaspearl Tan
