Death toll from Carina, monsoon rises to 34

MANILA, Philippines — The death toll following the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Carina has climbed to 34, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

Twelve of the dead were from Calabarzon, 11 were from Metro Manila, nine were in Central Luzon and two in Bicol.

Seventeen people were also reported injured, police said, while five are still missing in Central Luzon and Calabarzon.

PNP public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo said 22 died due to drowning while five were electrocuted, six were buried by landslide and one was hit by a fallen tree.

Eighteen people were injured, with eight in Metro Manila, six in Calabarzon, three in Central Luzon and one in Ilocos.

Six people across Luzon remain missing.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 1.3 million people or 299,344 families were affected by the combined effects of the monsoon, Typhoons Carina and Butchoy in all regions in the country.

Of the total figure, 211,396 persons or 53,414 families are staying in evacuation centers, while 675,932 individuals or 114,735 families are taking shelter in other places.

A total of 317 houses were damaged – 240 partially and 77 totally – with an estimated damage to property amounting to P2,661,100.

Damage to agriculture has reached P9,706,852 while damage to irrigation facilities climbed to P6,560,000. For infrastructure, the reported damage was P1,298,974.

NDRRMC said that 1,244 families composed of 3,747 individuals were pre-emptively evacuated in Ilocos region, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Caraga and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The government has so far extended P61,338,767 in assistance to the victims in region Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Caraga and CAR, the NDRRMC said.

NDRRMC said that 29 cities and municipalities were placed under State of Calamity including 23 in Calabarzon; three in Mimaropa; one in Davao and two in Soccsksargen.

Search and rescue

Fajardo said search and rescue as well as relief operations by the PNP are still ongoing with areas of concentration in Marikina, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela.

A man identified as 28-year-old Randolf Wite, who went missing during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina on Wednesday, was found dead by the search and rescue team along Tuman Dulo Riverbank in Barangay Bagong Silangan yesterday.

Wite, a construction worker, reportedly jumped into a creek near their residence before he went missing.

The body of an unidentified woman was also found by a rescue team in Quezon City on Thursday.

Police officers were deployed in evacuation centers to secure evacuees, especially women and children.

Police are also assisting in clearing roads of debris and mud as well other forms of humanitarian response.

Meanwhile, Philippine Army troops conducted rescue operations for 1,500 individuals in Rizal.

The Philippine Army was placed on red alert status and continues to deploy troops from line units while monitoring all human and material resources that are available for duty and deployment. 

The Philippine Air Force also provided relief goods for affected families in San Mateo, Rizal on Wednesday.

Family food packs were distributed to evacuees at Dulong Bayan Elementary School and Maly Elementary School in Barangay Sta. Ana, San Mateo, Rizal.

Agriculture sector damage

The Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday identified Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro and Pampanga as the hardest hit provinces with P164 million in combined damage to the farm sector. Total damage to the agriculture sector in seven regions reached P251 million.

In a radio interview, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said damage to the farm sector in Cotabato reached P65 million, followed by Oriental Mindoro, P59 million and Pampanga, P40 million.

“This is still small based on our experience in the past year but we are hoping that it will not dramatically increase with the expected onslaught of La Niña,” De Mesa said.

He added that among those affected by the rains and flooding were Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen and Caraga regions.

“Affected were more than 11,000 farmers, more than 3,000 metric tons of our production value and more than 12,000 hectares of plantations. Majority of the damage was recorded in the palay subsector,” De Mesa added.

In Pangasinan, more than P8 million in agriculture and P91 million worth of infrastructure projects were damaged due to Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Forty-six villages in seven towns and a city were flooded due to the incessant rains brought by Carina and the southwest monsoon.

According to De Mesa, most of the damaged crops were in the early vegetative stage.

“We have prepositioned seeds and fertilizer as part of our buffer stock. Once our farmers are ready to plant, our regional field offices are ready to assist them,” he added.

De Mesa said the DA can replenish its P1-billion Quick Response Fund (QRF).

Affected farmers can receive P10,000 to P15,000 indemnity from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.

Based on the latest bulletin of the DA, the damage to palay reached P228.23 million; corn, P14.08 million; high value crops, P8.75 million and high value crops, P143,300. — Ramon Efren Lazaro Jose Rodel Clapano, Pia Lee-Brago, Bella Cariaso, Cesar Ramirez, Jun Elias, Ric Sapnu