Death toll from cyclones, ‘habagat’ rises to 37

LONELY ALONA This stretch of white sand known as Alona Beach in Panglao, Bohol, usually hums with life, being a favorite destination for beach-loving tourists. But not on Friday, as Tropical Storm “Crising” batters Bohol and many other areas in the Visayas and Luzon. —LEO UDTOHAN

The death toll from the recent Tropical Cyclones “Crising” (international name: Wipha) “Dante” (Francisco) and “Emong (Co-May) and southwest monsoon (“habagat”) has risen to 37 after three fatalities were recorded in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its Thursday report.

Most of the deaths were logged in Metro Manila at nine, followed by Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) at eight, and Western Visayas with six.

Three deaths each were recorded in the CAR, Negros Island Region and Northern Mindanao, two in Central Luzon, and one each in Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), and the Davao and Caraga regions.

Out of the over 7.6 million affected by the weather disturbances, eight remain missing while 22 were injured. Total damage so far to infrastructure has been pegged at over P10 billion, up from more than P9.4 billion on Wednesday.