'Gener ' death toll rises to 23

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 23 people have been killed and nearly 200,000 people have been displaced by typhoon "Gener," the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Thursday.

Based on latest data from the NDRRMC, majority of the victims died from drowning. Some of the deaths were caused by landslides and uprooted trees or falling branches.

The most number of deaths were recorded in Luzon, which was the hardest hit by the typhoon.

The NDRRMC said that a total of 69,292 families or 331,588 individuals have been affected by the typhoon. 2,664 (12,000 individuals) of these families are currently staying in evacuation centers and 34,562 (167,997 individuals) are also displaced, but are staying with their relatives or friends.

The agency also reported that 2,785 houses were either totally damaged or partially damaged by the typhoon's strong winds and heavy rains, which caused massive flooding in several areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila.

Three municipalities in Cavite province and one in Laguna have declared a state of calamity. The whole Camiguin Island, meanwhile, is experiencing a total blackout, the NDRRMC added.

Classes in usually flooded areas in Metro Manila, including Malabon and Valenzuela have been suspended since Monday.

The NDRRMC said that P2-million worth of crops and poultry in Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon and Western Visayas have been destroyed during the typhoon's onslaught.

The typhoon is expected to move out of the Philippine area of responsibility Thursday afternoon, but rains and strong wind are expected to continue in most parts of Luzon owing to the southwest monsoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the typhoon has made landfall over northeastern Taiwan, but it was still within the Philippine area of responsibility.

As of 4 a.m. today, the typhoon's eye was 405 kilometers north of Basco, Batanes. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 160 kph, moving north northwest at a speed of 15 kph.

Only the Batanes Group of Islands is under public storm warning signal No. 1.

Gener's eye was expected to totally move out of the Philippines by Friday morning, PAGASA said.

The typhoon will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Luzon and Western Visayas.

"Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides," PAGASA said.

Fishing boats and other small boats are still advised against venturing into the sea due to big waves generated by the combined effect of the typhoon and the southwest monsoon.

PAGASA had said that bad weather will continue to prevail over the country until the weekend due to the effects of the typhoon on the southwest monsoon.