NDRRMC: Death toll from Christmas shear line floods rises to 51

MANILA, Philippines — The death toll from the floods that inundated southern and eastern regions in the country on Christmas day rose to 51, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Monday.

There are also 19 persons reported as missing while 16 are logged as injured due to the flooding, the NDRRMC added in its 6 a.m. bulletin.

The country’s disaster monitoring agency also said the shear line rains affected 149,957 families or 595,693 persons across Mimaropa, Bicol region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao region, Caraga and Barmm.

A shear line is a weather system formed when the cold and warm winds converge.

The flooding also caused damage to agriculture pegged at P243 million, affecting nearly 10,000 farmers and fisherfolk in six regions.

Meanwhile, the NDRRMC bulletin showed that P1.1 billion worth of infrastructure were also damaged due to the shear line rains.

The government has so far provided P48 million worth of assistance to the affected population.

To date, seven cities or municipalities and one province have declared State of Calamity due to the flooding.