The death toll due to heavy rain and flood brought by the shear line has reached 44 while damage to infrastructure climbs to more than a billion pesos, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Friday.

The NDRRMC said 31 out of the total recorded death toll, 10 of the injured and 25 of the reported missing persons are still subject of validation.

Of the 44 deaths, six were recorded from Bicol Region, three from Eastern Visayas, four in Zamboanga Peninsula, 24 in Northern Mindanao, four in Davao Region and three in Caraga.

The NDRRMC also reported that as of Friday a total of three roads and four bridges in Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and in Caraga remain not passable.

A total of 4,522 houses were damaged in the affected regions, of which 3,679 were partially damaged and 843 were destroyed.

The damaged infrastructure in Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and Caraga reached P1,130,405,000.

The NDRRMC said the damage to agriculture slightly increased to P232,731,657.42, with the highest figure of P172,452,408.62 recorded in Northern Mindanao.

The number of affected population also rose to 131,028 families or 509,340 persons, of which 4,604 families or 15,800 persons were being served inside the 151 evacuation centers. Robina Asido/DMS