1.7 million affected by monsoon rains, 19 dead

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – The monsoon rains affected 1.75 million, killed 19, and displaced over 560,000 Filipinos, according to a 5 pm update from disaster management officials on Thursday, August 22.

A total of 718 evacuation centers are open, sheltering 214,857 persons. The rest of the displaced opted to stay with friends or relatives. 

Tropical storm Maring, which enhanced the southwest monsoon, has made landfall in mainland China Thursday morning but various parts of western Luzon continued to experience rains.

Light to moderate rains were still observed over Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Rizal, according to the 2pm bulletin of state weather bureau Pagasa.

Orange alert was raised over Metro Manila 1 am on Thursday, but it was quickly lowered until the rainfall alert was terminated at 11 am. 

Based on initial assessment, a total of P78.8 million worth of infrastructure and agriculture products have been damaged, excluding those from Cavite and Metro Manila. The cost of assistance so far was estimated at P24.5 million. 

4 still missing

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) increased its death toll count from 15 on Wednesday afternoon to 18 as of Thursday afternoon. 

The NDRRMC list does not include one fatality in Pangasinan who is yet to be indentified, local disaster management official Ruben Aquino said. The body was found along Agno River.

This NDRRMC list included fatalities from Rizal, Nueva Ecija, and Cavite. Most of them drowned or were swept away by flood waters. Nelson Penales Fausto Jr, 84, of Teresa, Rizal drowned. Rodrigo Telles, 69, of Carrangalan, Nueva Ecija was swept away by flood. Arzay Josue, 22, of Bacoor City also drowned.

READ earlier list of fatalities

Four are still missing: Linto Calantay, 30, of Tubo, Abra; Monching Bakidan, 20, of Bontoc, Mt Province; Eufrocina Manaois, 49, of Sagada, Mt Province; and Michael Silverio, 21, of Floridablanca, Pampanga.

A total of 63 roads remain impassable to different types of vehicles in Metro Manila, Ilocos region, CAR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and the Bicol region. Ninoy Aquino bridge in Tarlac is still impassable.

Health concerns

Health officials are concerned diseases will spread because of prolonged stay by victims in evacuation centers.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier conducted a rapid risk assessment showing the top leading health concerns in Metro Manila to be: fever, headache, cough and colds, diarrhea, skin infections, and wounds. 

DOH representative Jun Gamlanga said the department has provided P2 million worth of assorted drugs and medicines in various localities.

The DOH also distributed thousands of doxycycline, a drug for leptospirosis. – Rappler.com