3 dead, 5 hurt as rains pound Luzon

ORIENTAL MINDORO. Philippine Coast Guard personnel rescue residents trapped by massive floods in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on July 23, 2021. (Philippine Coast Guard)
ORIENTAL MINDORO. Philippine Coast Guard personnel rescue residents trapped by massive floods in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on July 23, 2021. (Philippine Coast Guard)

THREE people perished and five others were injured when monsoon rains enhanced by Typhoon Fabian pounded Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon last week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Sunday, July 25, 2021.

One was killed when a tree fell on a vehicle along Kennon Road in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Two were hurt in the same incident.

Two persons were killed when they were separately struck by lightning in Ilocos region.

NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad said the continuous rains caused massive flooding, flashfloods and landslides.

The NDRRMC said 19,521 families or 87,493 persons were affected in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Cordillera and the National Capital Region.

More than a fourth, or 5,554 families (22,263 individuals) were staying in evacuation centers. The rest sought refuge with relatives.

The disaster agency said 345 houses were damaged while 109 were destroyed.

Damage to infrastructure was estimated at P2.481 million while P14,593,900 worth of agriculture products were destroyed.

The disaster agency also said P924,666 worth of relief goods were distributed to affected individuals on top of the assistance being distributed by their respective local government units (LGUs).

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it deployed 1,000 personnel to assist in rescue and relief operations, and mustered PNP Food Bank resources to augment national and local government support to the evacuees.

The PNP Highway Patrol Group also fielded mobile units to assist motorists, particularly cargo vehicles transporting food products, in navigating through detour routes to avoid road hazards.

PNP Chief Guillermo Eleazar said he has instructed local PNP units to initiate road clearing operations.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said monsoon rains will continue over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands on Sunday due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon In-Fa (formerly known as Fabian) and Tropical Storm Nepartak, which are now both outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

Cagayan Valley, Antique, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa will experience cloudy skies with at times moderate to heavy rain showers and thunderstorms.

Pagasa warned of possible landslides and flash floods in vulnerable areas due to the continuous rains.

The Ipo Dam was scheduled to release water at 12 noon which may result to flooding in low-lying areas near the Angat River bank from Norzagaray, Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliuag, Pulilan, Plaridel and Hagonoy in Bulacan. (SunStar Philippines)

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