Storm damage reaches 11.3 B
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Wednesday said damage to infrastructure and agriculture due to the effects of the southwest monsoon or "habagat" enhanced by tropical cyclones “Henry,” “Inday,” and “Josie” has now reached more than 11.3 billion.
Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad, the executive director of the NDRRMC and concurrent ad-
ministrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), said that based on the latest figure, damage to infrastructure and agriculture is now 11,377,090,104.90 in Regions I (Ilocos), II (Cagayan Valley), III (Central Luzon), Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), VI (Western Visayas), and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR).
He said of the figure, 1480,369,000 million worth of infrastructures were damage while 1896,721,105.00 worth of agricultural products were destroyed.
He said a total of 124, 872,076.48 worth of assistance was provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and local government units (LGUs) to affected families in Regions I, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, VI, National Capital Region (NCR), and CAR.
Jalad said as of their latest count, a total of 250,536 families or 1,132,666 persons were affected in 667 barangays in Regions I, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, VI, and CAR, and NCR. Of the total number of families affected, 68,057 or 271,588 persons are being served inside and outside evacuation centers.
He also said that the NDRRMC also recorded 79 incidents of landslides, strong winds, soil erosion and coastal erosion, collapsed structure, and maritime incidents in Regions I, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, VI, and CAR.
Also, a total of 99 road sections and six bridges were affected in Regions I, III, Calabarzon, VI, and CAR.
Jalad said 28 areas in Regions I, III, Calabarzon, and CAR experienced power interruption from July 21 to 24, 2018. But as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, power was restored in 25areas.
He also reported that 566 areas experienced flooding in Regions I, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, CAR, and NCR. So far, floodin 321 areas have already subsided.
He also said that a total of 209 houses were damaged – 30 totally and 179 partially – in Regions I, III, Mimaropa, VI, and CAR.
To date, Jalad said, a total of eight persons were confirmed killed as a result of the habagat.
New storm Meanwhile, the tropical cyclone east of Luzon has further intensified into a storm but is less likely to enter the country’s area of responsibility.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Shelly Ignacio said the storm with international name “Jongdari” has a slim chance of entering the country’s area of responsibility and will have no direct effect on the country.
Igancio added that the storm will have a minimal effect on the southwest monsoon, which brought heavy monsoon rains that caused massive flooding in Luzon and Visayas in the past few days.
Before Wednesday noon, Jongdari was estimated at 1,545 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving east-northeast slowly. The habagat and trough or extension of the storm will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar and Southern Leyte.
Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Aurora, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Palawan, Romblon, Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo will have occasional rains due to the southwest monsoon.
The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
By Thursday, Jongdari will be 1,665 km east-northeast of Basco, and 1,985 km east-northeast of Basco, by Friday.