Monsoon floods affect 1.9M in Luzon

MANILA, Philippines – Nearly 2 million people have been affected by the combined effects of the monsoon and tropical storm Maring (Trami), while the death toll rose to 21, the government said Friday, August 23.

A total of 1,928,685 people (402,415 families) have been affected by the disaster, residing in in Regions I, III, IV-A, IV-B, the National Capital Region (NCR), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

Prior to this, the NDRRMC reported 1.75 million people affected by the disaster.

A total of 675 evacuation centers are still sheltering 200,060 people (45,766 families), while another 400,762 people (77,348 families) opted to stay with friends or relatives instead, the NDRRMC said.

The NDRRMC death toll rose to 20, with the addition of another fatality from Kawit, Cavite. The list, however, does not include one fatality in Pangasinan, confirmed by the local government.

Four people are still missing. 41 people, on the other hand, were injured.

Damage to infrastructure and agriculture is now pegged at P97.3 million.

A total of 29 roads remain impassable, while 132 passengers and 3 vessels remain stranded in several ports in Luzon.

Twenty-four areas are currently under a state of calamity:

• Provinces: Bataan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal
• Cities: Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Malabon, Marikina, Pasay, Candon, Dagupan, Tarlac
• Municipalities: Pateros; Narvacan, Gregorio del Pilar & Sta Maria, Ilocos Sur; Sta Barbara & Calasiao, Pangasinan; Obando & Hagonoy, Bulacan; Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro
• Barangays: Brgys Victoria & Lagnas in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro

The cost of assistance so far has been pegged at P 28.3 million. – Rappler.com