‘Habagat’ claims 9 lives in 7 provinces
Monsoon rains induced by three tropical cyclones this past week have claimed the lives of at least nine people in Luzon as a result of flash floods, overflowing rivers, landslides, and accidents in seven provinces.
Reports consolidated from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and local government units showed there were two fatalities from a landslide in La Union last July 20; one electrocuted in Bataan on July 22; two drowning in Rizal last July 17 and 22; and a woman in Mountain Province last July 22; a security guard drowning in Benguet last July 21; and an elderly man swept away by a river current in Ifugao; and an elderly woman who slipped into the river and drowned in Abra.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) of Binangonan, Rizal said a fisherman found the body of an unidentified man floating in Laguna Lake in Barangay Pag-asa last Sunday.
Still in Rizal, local officials of Cainta said the body of 17-year-old student, Brix Boticario, was found along the shore in Barangay Calumpang last July 17. He also drowned in Laguna Lake.
NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo B. Jalad reported last Sunday the death of Luisa Pelew, 54, of Bontoc, Mountain Province as a direct result of the effects of the “habagat” or southwest monsoon rains.
In Benguet, security guard Lito Lacuna drowned while crossing a river at Camp 5 in Acupan, Barangay Virac in Itogon town while on his way to work on Saturday morning.
In Ifugao, 73-year-old farmer Crisencio Coloma also drowned while attempting to cross a river with his cart loaded with bags of fertilizer in Barangay Calimag, Alfonso Lista town.
In Abra, local officials said an 85-yearold woman died after she slipped and had serious injury as a result of heavy rains in Barangay Lumaba in Villaviciosa town.
In La Union, construction workers Vernie Delos Trenos and Juvy Lilma were buried alive when the mound of soil stacked on the slope of a mountain eroded at their construction site in Barangay Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union last Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile in Bataan, Barangay Captain Normal Guila of Cupang Proper, Balanga City said a local resident named “Philip” died of electrocution as he tried to rescue children from a flooded house last Sunday.
Widespread effects Jalad said as of their latest count, a total of 176,765 families or 786,155 persons were affected in 667 barangays in Regions I, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, VI and CAR and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Jalad said of the total number of families affected, 68,057 or 271,588 persons are being served inside served inside and outside evacuation centers.
Jalad, at the same time, said that the NDRRMC has recorded 59 incidents such as landslides, strong winds, soil erosion and coastal erosion, collapsed structure, and maritime incident in Region's I, III, CALABARZOM, MIMAROPA, VI and CAR.
To the rescue The Armed Forces of the PhilippinesNorthern Luzon Command (AFP-NoLCom) has activated and deployed its Disaster Response Team Units (DRTUs), in coordination with the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (DRRMC), in the affected areas within Central and Northern Luzon, heavily flooded due to the effects of the habagat enhanced by tropical cyclones “Henry,” “Inday” and “Josie.”
In Manila, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Director for Disaster Response Management Bureau Rodolfo M. Encabo presided the meeting attended by response cluster representatives from various agencies.
In Region 1, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) intensified rescue operations for flood victims in Pangasinan.
OCD Region 1 Director Melchito M. Castro, the chairperson of the RDRRMC Region 1, said the teams of responders from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (PDRRMCs) of Ilocos Sur and La Union deployed on Saturday to Calasiao and Dagupan City, both in Pangasinan, to reinforce the local DRRMCs for the rescue operations to the victims of flooding.
As of noon yesterday, Governor Amado Espino said at least 20 towns in the province were still being monitored for floods, with many roads and bridges still impassable to all types of vehicles.
Aid and damage Jalad said a total of 115,828,234.72 worth of assistance was provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH) and Local Government Units (LGUs) to the affected families of Regions I, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, VI, NCR and CAR.
In Cavite, the provincial government released yesterday a 110-million fund as assistance for the province’s “habagat” or southwest monsoon-stricken municipalities and cities, following Governor Jesus Crispin C. Remulla’s declaration of a state of calamity in the province last Sunday.
Jalad said also said that based on the latest figure they have received, a total of P380, 570,094.48 worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture were recorded in Regions I, II, III,CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), VI and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR). (With reports from Freddie G. Lazaro, Anthony Giron, and Erwin G. Beleo)