PNP: Death toll at 12 amid widespread Luzon flooding
The death toll from flooding and severe weather in parts of Luzon has climbed to 12, according to the Philippine National Police, with seven injuries and nine still missing.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, on the other hand, recorded eight missing persons, seven deaths and seven injuries.
Local authorities, meanwhile, reported eight fatalities from drowning and electrocution in Calabarzon and Bulacan.
There was no immediate means to reconcile the tallies coming from various government agencies.
The latest deaths—two from suspected drowning and one from electrocution—were confirmed by police in Cavite and Rizal.
Among them was a 16-year-old girl identified only as “Lyka” who drowned after she was swept away by strong currents while swimming in a river in Barangay Calibuyo, Tanza town, Cavite. Her body was found hours later, tangled in water lilies.
A boy estimated to be between 7 and 12 years old was found dead in Laguna Lake in Tanay, Rizal. Police believe he may be the same child reported missing in Morong days earlier.
In San Mateo, a 20-year-old man named “Ralph” was electrocuted while repairing a flood-damaged roof. He accidentally touched a live wire and was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.
Another man, “Romel,” 35, remained missing after he was swept away while fishing in a river in Nasugbu, Batangas.
Heed warnings
Earlier, three other deaths were recorded on Monday, all due to drowning. Among them was a 4-year-old girl who was found in a flooded creek hours after she went missing.
In Antipolo City, a 33-year-old man drowned after attempting to cross a swollen river on a motorcycle.
Local officials have reiterated warnings against crossing flooded roads, swimming in rivers, or wading through water during ongoing monsoon rains and enhanced flooding triggered by the storms.
In Bulacan, a 49-year-old barangay health worker in Meycauayan City died on Tuesday morning after she was electrocuted while checking the safety of medical supplies at a local health center amid waist-deep floodwaters. She was identified as Cristina Abisate Padora, assigned to Barangay Bayugo.
Still missing
A day later, the body of a woman believed to be 35 to 40 years old was found floating in a fishpond in Bulakan town, also in Bulacan. Authorities are still verifying if she was among those reported missing during the recent flooding.
Meanwhile, nine individuals are still missing, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in a statement on Wednesday.
The BFP also said it recovered three bodies and rescued 251 individuals from areas affected by the heavy rainfall.
The agency did not immediately detail where these missing persons, bodies and rescued individuals were reported from.
1.9M individuals affected
For its part, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on Wednesday that at least 1.9 million individuals or about 533,213 families have been affected by the severe weather across the country.
Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro IV, OCD officer in charge, said in a press briefing that 732 evacuation centers currently serve about 25,000 families, while about 21,000 families have sought shelter elsewhere. —REPORTS FROM DELFIN T. MALLARI JR., CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE, JASON SIGALES AND GABRYELLE DUMALAG
