NEARLY 700,000 persons were affected during the onslaught of southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Karding (international name Yagi), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Tuesday, August 14.
NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said of the 691,574 persons or 154,671 families, 173,255 persons or 36,877 families were served inside evacuation centers.
He said in terms of affected population, the National Capital Region was the hardest hit with 45 established evacuation centers and 7,862 families or 34,559 persons who evacuated.
Posadas assured continuous assistance to the affected population.
He said P14.685 million worth of assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units has been provided to the affected families.
Posadas said 199 areas in the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, Bulacan, National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) are still flooded due to the continuing rainshowers brought by the weather disturbance.
He said the NDRRMC recorded a total of 36 incidents including six collapsed structures in Calabarzon and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 17 landslides in Region 2, Calabarzon and CAR, six soil erosion in CAR and four swelling of rivers, creeks or streams in CAR.
Posadas said such incidents resulted in the death of two persons, bringing to 18 the total number of fatalities since July due to inclement weather, and the disappearance of another.
The council is still validating the reported death of two other persons.
He said 41 houses were damaged in the Central Luzon, Calabarzon and CAR in which 11 were totally damaged while 30 were partially destroyed.
Meanwhile, Posadas said over P4.6 billion worth of infrastructure and agriculture products have been damaged due to the effects of southwest monsoon since July. The monsoon was enhanced by tropical storm or depressions “Henry,” “Inday,” “Josie” and “Karding.” (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)