Flood death toll hits 40 as 7 more drown in Samar

MANILA, Philippines - Seven people have been added to a growing list of fatalities in the widespread flooding and landslides in Mindanao, Eastern Visayas and Southern Tagalog due to prevailing severe weather conditions in the regions.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported in its latest count that 40 people have died either due to drowning or were buried alive by landslides.

NDRRMC executive officer Benito Ramos identified the latest fatalities as Veneranda, 49, and Marcos, 51, both surnamed Maestre of the flood-stricken Barangay Payapayon, Oras; Gleiza Joy Rivera, 6, of Barangay San Roque, Dolores; Jerome Cornala, 9, of Barangay San Miguel, San Julian; Alfredo Alvero, 6, and Julius Ellorando, 22, of Barangays Locso-on and Campesao, all of Borongan, Eastern Samar; and Mark Paul Agilando, 21, of Barangay Cabariwan, Palapag, Northern Samar.

NDRMMC’s damage report on agriculture, infrastructure and private properties due to widespread flooding in Mindanao, Visayas and Bicol caused by the tail-end of a cold front and the northeast monsoon has ballooned to P898.2 million.

Ramos said the amount could still increase because of the continuing inclement weather in these already devastated regions.

The number of people displaced already breached the one million mark at 1,294,039.

Of this figure, 4,839 families or 22,505 persons remained inside 86 evacuation centers while 65,177 are temporarily staying with relatives.

In Albay, 28 evacuation centers are still serving 2,277 families or 11,660 persons from the municipalities of Daraga, Malilipot, Manito, Sto. Domingo and Camalig.

On the other hand, 28 evacuation centers in Eastern Visayas remained open to serve 1,081 families or 4,820 evacuees from the towns of Borongan and Maslog in Eastern Samar and the towns of Bontoc, St. Bernard and Sogod in Southern Leyte.

President Aquino will visit tomorrow the regions that were inundated by floods and landslides.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Aquino will have his first stop at Legazpi City to lead in the distribution of relief goods and medicine before flying to Tacloban in Leyte and Agusan del Norte in Mindanao.

“As always, the President would like to see the extent of the damage. We’re not quite sure if he is able to go to the actual site because I understand we have weather considerations,” Valte said.

“He’d like to see the extent of devastation and just to check on the progress of the concerned agencies on the ground, to see what else can be done to assist the victims,” she said.

The Department of Health (DOH), on the other hand, declared an emergency code white alert in the CARAGA region and pre-positioned the distribution of medicine and fluids amounting to P763,082 in Butuan City for distribution to residents in the flood-stricken areas.

The National Food Authority (NFA) also distributed 3,824 bags of rice assistance to displaced residents in the region.             – With Delon Porcalla