1 killed, over 470,000 affected by 'Mario'

MANILA, Philippines - At least one person has been killed while close to half a million people have been affected by Tropical Storm "Mario" which brought incessant heavy rains and triggered floods on Friday, the state disaster response agency said.

Alexander Pama, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said in a televised press briefing that the lone confirmed fatality was a 2-year-old infant from Quezon City who drowned in flood waters.

Pama said the storm has affected 104,339 families or 470,323 people in Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Central Visayas.

Flooding has been experienced in 105 areas in the Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Metro Manila, Pama added.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the combined effect of Mario and the southwest monsoon or "habagat" will bring moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon which may cause flashfloods and landslides.

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At 3 p.m., PAGASA again issued a red rainfall advisory for Metro Manila, Bataan, Zambales, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Batangas. Torrential rainfall and severe flooding are expected in these areas.

Several roads in the metro have been rendered impassable due to the flooding caused by the effects of the storm.