Death toll from ‘Carina’, ‘Butchoy’ hits 14; some 51K still in shelters
The death toll due to the effects of the southwest monsoon and Supertyphoon “Carina” (international name: Gaemi) as well as Tropical Depression “Butchoy” rose to 14 on Thursday, leaving more than a million people affected in various parts of the Philippines, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Six more fatalities were added to the death toll from the previous eight deaths recorded in Mindanao, the NDRRMC said in its situation report released on Thursday.
Two have remained missing and two others were injured, the agency said.
Of the six newly recorded deaths, one was a 40-year-old man who died due to drowning in Quezon City, while the five other deaths in Calabarzon were undergoing validation.
According to the NDRRMC, a witness saw the body floating from “waist level flood” while he was securing his L300 van.
The agency reported that 1,115,272 individuals have been affected by the weather disturbances, but only 51,726 individuals were taking shelter in various evacuation centers.
The total damage to agriculture, according to the agency, was already at P9.7 million, with Northern Mindanao recording the highest agricultural damage at P6.59 million.
It added that the damage to infrastructure was at P793,551.
A state of calamity has been declared in Metro Manila as well as Pinamalayan in Oriental Mindoro, Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental, and Kabacan and Pikit in Cotabato, according to the NDRRMC.
Landslides, drowning
The Philippine National Police, on the other hand, said the number of people who died due to the severe weather conditions in Luzon was 21, but the NDRRMC said these deaths were still up for validation.
In the PNP’s tally, 11 deaths were from the Calabarzon region, with most of the victims killed from landslides and drowning, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said on Thursday.
In Agoncillo, Batangas, it said four people were killed from a landslide on Tuesday, including a 27-year-old pregnant woman and her three children age 14, 13 and 9. An earlier police report said they were buried by mud and died on the spot.
In Cavite, three people reportedly died from drowning, according to the PNP.
Seven were also reported dead in the National Capital Region, with two in Manila and one each in the cities of Malabon, Valenzuela, San Juan, Mandaluyong and Pasay. Six of them died of drowning while one was electrocuted, according to Fajardo, citing ground reports.
In Central Luzon, two perished from landslides and one from drowning, she added.
Fifteen people were injured and five others were reported missing across Luzon due to the severe weather disturbance.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil earlier ordered the deployment of “all available forces and resources” after heavy rains caused widespread flooding in parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces as a result of the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and Carina.
“Our police officers are on the ground, working around the clock to provide assistance where it is needed most,” Fajardo said.
Canceled flights, power outagesMetro Manila, Bulacan, Bataan, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro and Cavite were placed under a state of calamity following the devastation wrought by the weather disturbance.
This will allow additional funds for calamity response and imposes a price freeze on basic goods.
Meanwhile, 153 flights at Ninoy Aquino International Airport were canceled on Thursday due to continuing inclement weather as Carina exited the country’s area of responsibility.
The Manila International Airport Authority also said 18 flights to Taipei, Hong Kong, and the southern Chinese city of Quanzhou were canceled, as well as 15 flights to or from northern Philippine airports such as Basco, Cauayan, Laoag and Tuguegarao.
Bad weather due to the enhanced southwest monsoon also led to the cancellation of 102 flights to or from Palawan, Mindoro, Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, meanwhile, said most local airports affected by Carina and the southwest monsoon have returned to normal operations.
Only Plaridel airport operations remain suspended as floodwaters were still at the apron and taxiway, while general aviation flights are still prohibited in Iba and Calapan airports due bad weather.
More than 210,000 consumers of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) were also still suffering from power outages as of Thursday.
Although considered a high number, this was down from Wednesday’s 600,000 customers who experienced service interruptions.
Meralco said the areas affected were mostly in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal and Cavite. Some portions of Laguna, Batangas and Quezon were also hit by brownouts.
The National Electrification Administration also said that some electric cooperatives were affected by Carina.
It said the facilities of electric cooperatives in Pangasinan, Benguet, Mountain Province, Zambales and Occidental Mindoro were damaged.
The number of consumers affected reached 114,565, it added. —WITH REPORTS FROM JEROME ANING AND LISBET K. ESMAEL
