NEARLY 50 areas in Luzon provinces have declared a state of calamity due to a series of weather systems that have brought heavy rains and massive flooding.
In a situational report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that as of Thursday, July 24, the following areas are under a state of calamity due to the combined effects of the habagat (southwest monsoon), a tropical cyclone, Typhoon Emong (international name: Co-may), and Tropical Storm Dante (international name: Francisco):
Pangasinan
*Umingan
*Mangaldan
Bulacan
*Calumpit
*Balagtas
*Paombong
*Meycauayan
Pampanga
*Masantol
Tarlac
*Paniqui
Batangas
*Agoncillo
Rizal
*Cainta
*Rodriguez (Montalban)
*San Mateo
Palawan
*Roxas
Antique
*Sebaste
*Barbaza
National Capital Region
*Malabon
*Quezon City
The entire province of Cavite, with its 23 cities and municipalities, also declared a state of calamity.
The local government units of Marikina, Manila, and Las Piñas in Metro Manila; Dagupan City, Calasiao, Lingayen, Malasiqui, and Sta. Barbara in Pangasinan; and Cebu City also declared a state of calamity.
The disaster bureau said 765,869 families, or 2,733,646 persons, were affected by the extreme weather systems in 3,712 barangays across the country.
Of these, 40,487 families, or 147,521 persons, were inside over a thousand evacuation centers.
The NDRRMC said a total of nearly P200 million worth of assistance has been provided to the affected population.
Amid the government’s continued quick response to flood-affected communities, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., along with Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, and Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., personally visited the Maly Elementary School Evacuation Center in San Mateo, Rizal, to lead and oversee the ongoing distribution of relief assistance, which includes child-friendly space kits, food packs, hygiene kits, women-friendly space kits, sleeping kits, family water filtration kits, and ready-to-eat meals.
At present, 546 families, or 2,102 internally displaced persons (IDPs), affected by the combined impact of the habagat, Crising, Dante, and Emong are taking shelter at the Maly Elementary School.
Casualties and damage
The NDRRMC said the number of reported fatalities amid the extreme weather has increased to 12, two of which have been validated, while 10 are still subject to confirmation.
It said eight individuals were also reported missing.
The disaster bureau said the damage and losses to agriculture stood at P366,377,015.72, while damage to infrastructure was estimated at over P3.7 billion.
The National Irrigation Administration also recorded P281,660,000 worth of damaged irrigation infrastructure, particularly in Cagayan.
Over 400 houses in affected regions were also reported to be totally wrecked, while more than 2,000 others were partially damaged.
The NDRRMC said 104 roads and 14 bridges were not passable either due to flooding or fallen debris.
Crising has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) over the weekend.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), as of 10 a.m., Emong, which has intensified into a typhoon, was spotted at 220 kilometers (km) west-southwest of Bacnotan, La Union, or 210 km west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour (km/h) near the center, gustiness of up to 150 km/h, and a central pressure of 975 hPa.
It is moving “slowly” south southeastward.
The northern portion of Pangasinan (Anda, Bolinao, Bani), the western portion of La Union (Luna, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando, Bauang, Caba, Bangar), and the southwestern portion of Ilocos Sur (San Esteban, Santiago, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Tagudin) were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 3.
The weather bureau hoisted TCWS No. 2 over Ilocos Norte, the rest of Ilocos Sur, the rest of La Union, and central portion of Pangasinan (Agno, Burgos, Mabini, City of Alaminos, Sual, Labrador, Bugallon, Infanta, Dasol, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Manaoag, Laoac, Binalonan, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Fabian, San Jacinto), Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Babuyan Islands, the northern and western portion of mainland Cagayan (Rizal, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Allacapan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Lasam, Santo Niño, Piat, Tuao), and the western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Santa Fe).
Batanes, the rest of Cagayan, the western and central portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, San Mateo, Ramon, Cordon, Burgos, Cabatuan, Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Tumauini, Gamu, Luna, Maconacon, Alicia, San Mariano, Naguilian, San Guillermo, City of Cauayan, Echague, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Santiago, Reina Mercedes, San Agustin, Divilacan, San Isidro, Jones), the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the rest of Pangasinan, the northern and central portions of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan), Tarlac, and the western and central portions of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Talugtug, Cuyapo, Nampicuan, Guimba, Science City of Muñoz, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Rizal, Llanera, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Quezon, Licab, Aliaga, Zaragoza, San Antonio, Jaen, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, Bongabon, Laur) were placed under TCWS No. 1.
Emong is expected to make landfall over La Union or Ilocos Sur on Friday morning, July 25.
“A close approach over northwestern Pangasinan between this evening and tomorrow (Friday) early morning prior to landfall further north is not ruled out. After briefly crossing the mountainous terrain of northwestern Luzon, EMONG will continue accelerating northeastward over Luzon Strait and the Philippine Sea east of Taiwan. Between tomorrow late morning and evening, it may pass close or make landfall over Babuyan Islands and Batanes,” said Pagasa.
“Emong may still briefly intensify prior to landfall due to favorable atmospheric and oceanic environment. While a landfall scenario as a typhoon remains the more likely scenario, a slight weakening prior to landfall due to increasing interaction with the terrain of northwestern Luzon is not ruled out. Nevertheless, passage of Emong will trigger a weakening trend, which is expected to continue for the rest of the forecast period,” it added.
The weather bureau said Tropical Storm Dante is still being monitored within the PAR, while a low-pressure area, which is outside the PAR, has already developed into a tropical depression. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)