MANILA, Philippines - The death toll from Tropical Storm Mario has ballooned to 18, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Friday.
The NDRRMC also reported that the number of injured people from the cyclone was 16. Four persons are still missing, it added.
The NDRRMC said that "Mario" has affected more than 400,000 families or almost two million individuals in 27 provinces in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A, 4-B, 5, 7, Cordillera Administrative Region and National Capital Region.
Of the total population affected, nearly 3,000 families or more than 11,000 persons are now staying at 81 evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said that the cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by "Mario" in the affected regions has breached the P2 billion mark.
A total of 1, 834 houses were totally damaged by the storm while more than 3,000 were partially destroyed, the NDRRMC said.
The national government and non-government organizations have poured in almost P36 million worth of relief assistance to the victims.