3 dead, 11 hurt due to monsoon rain

MANILA, Philippines – The number of casualties from the heavy monsoon rain over large areas of Luzon has risen to 3, the government announced Monday afternoon, August 19.

Celedenonio Gamban, 39, drowned in Tanza, Cavite early Monday morning, while Austin Guarimo Betasolo, 5, died after a concrete fence collapsed in Binangonan, Rizal.

Earlier, Franco Pedrito Cawayan, 30, was reported dead due to a vehicular accident in Cabugao, Apayao.

Eleven people were injured due to the effects of the monsoon rain, which was enhanced by the presence of tropical storm Maring (Trami) just east of Batanes.

Four others are missing:

• Rosalino Calantay, 30, missing in Tubo, Abra
• Monching Bakidan, 20, missing in Bontoc, Mt Province
• Joros Miyage, 7, missing in Tanza, Cavite
• Marissa Manaois, 40, reported trapped at the Sumaguing Cave in Sagada, Mt Province

The provincial governments of Cavite and Laguna, as well as the municipalities of Sta Maria and Narvacan in Ilocos Sur, have declared a state of calamity in their respective areas Monday, as torrential rain shut down most of the Philippine capital.

As of 4 pm Monday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported a total of 19,981 families (94,226 people) affected by the monsoon, in regions I, III, IV-A, the National Capital Region (NCR), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

A total of 16 schools and 3 covered courts are being utilized as evacuation centers, the NDRRMC said.

The NDRRMC also reported 213 barangays in 36 municipalities from 4 regions in Luzon.

Southern parts of Metro Manila bore the brunt of the overnight torrential rains Sunday, August 18, according to data released by the Manila Observatory. The data came from 22 selected weather stations owned by the Observatory, as well as from Automated Weather Stations (AWS) that are part of the Metro Weather network, managed by the office, and the Makati City AWS Network. – Rappler.com