THE continuous heavy downpour brought about by the southwest monsoon has affected more than 163,000 families in Central Luzon.

Based on Thursday's (July 29) evening report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, 163,634 families or about 551,432 individuals from the 304 barangays in Central Luzon were upset by the weather condition.

Of the said number, 25,225 families (34,011 persons) are from Bataan province, 80,975 families (281,290 persons) are from Bulacan, 57,062 families (234,794 persons) are from Pampanga, and 372 families (1,337 persons) are from Zambales.

No families from the provinces of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Aurora were reported to be affected by the monsoon rains.

Meanwhile, 1,565 families or 5,754 individuals are still taking temporary shelter in some 121 different evacuation centers in the region.

Bataan province reported that some 749 families or 2,997 individuals are still on evacuation centers, while Bulacan still has some 422 families or 1,375 individuals as evacuees.

Some 264 families or 978 individuals in Pampanga, and 130 families or 404 individuals from Zambales have also evacuated to different government facilities.