NDRRMC: 10 dead from landslides, extreme flooding

MANILA, Philippines — At least 10 people have been reported dead due to weather-related causes as Tropical Storm Enteng continued to bring heavy rains to various areas in Luzon and the Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said yesterday.

The NDRRMC said seven casualties were reported in Calabarzon, two in Central Visayas and one in Western Visayas.

However, Police Regional Office 4-A spokesperson Lt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran placed Calabarzon’s casualties at nine deaths – five from drowning and four from landslides.

Six other people remain missing in the aftermath of the storm – four in Rizal and two in Quezon province, Gaoiran added.

Police have yet to receive reports if there were casualties in Batangas and Cavite.

Meanwhile, 37,867 families have been affected by the storm, with 8,866 families taking shelter in 218 evacuation centers.

So far, over P9 million worth of assistance have been given to families in the most affected communities, including 7,500 families in Metro Manila.

The NDRRMC is yet to release more data on damage to agriculture and infrastructure but as of yesterday, it reported some 17 damaged houses in the Bicol Region, Western Visayas and Central Visayas. Initial estimates of infrastructure damage in Bicol region alone has been placed at P200,000.

Enteng intensifies

Enteng intensified into a severe tropical storm yesterday as it was forecast to leave the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) this morning, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

PAGASA said Enteng was monitored at 165 kms west northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte as of 4 p.m., carrying maximum sustained winds of 95 kms per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 was still hoisted over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, the northern portion of La Union and Abra. Around 50-100mm of rainfall is expected over the Ilocos Region and Abra.

The storm is also enhancing the southwest monsoon that will bring moderate to intense rainfall over parts of Luzon in the following days.

The severe tropical storm will move westward until Friday and may make another landfall in the vicinity of southern mainland China during the weekend. It will intensify and reach typhoon category by Thursday and reach its peak intensity prior to making landfall.

The trough of Severe Tropical Storm Enteng will bring scattered rains over Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley. Monsoon rains are forecast over Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro and the rest of the Ilocos Region.

The monsoon will also bring occasional rains over Metro Manila, Calabarzon and the rest of Central Luzon and Mimaropa, while localized thunderstorms will bring isolated rains over the rest of the country.

Road closures

In Norzagaray town in Bulacan, Barangay San Lorenzo suffered a landslide, soil erosion occurred in Sitio Bayumbong within Barangay Poblacion and a bridge was washed out in Barangay Pinagtalunan, which led to road closures in the said areas, according to the situational report by the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

Meanwhile, 23 villages in Balagtas, Bocaue, Bulakan, Paombong, Calumpit and Baliwag city were inundated under six inches to four feet of floods caused by Enteng’s rains and Manila Bay high tide as of 11 a.m. yesterday.

On the other hand, 2,228 families are still housed in 53 evacuation centers in 17 LGUs in Bulacan as of 11 a.m. yesterday.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said they rescued over 3,700 residents from the municipalities of Pililia, Morong and Cainta in Rizal province.

Meanwhile, the PCG also reported that at noon yesterday, they were only able to monitor 44 people stranded at seaports in Southern Tagalog, Bicol and Northwestern Luzon.

Also stranded was one vessel, 11 rolling cargoes and two motorized boats, while 11 vessels and 21 motorized boats were still taking shelter.

In Angadanan town in Isabela, 40 cows owned by 13 farmers were swept away by floods in Barangay Salay overflowed at dawn on Tuesday.

Salay Councilor Rodolfo Gazzingan said they were not able to save their cows because of rushing floodwaters from the swollen river. Gazzingan said 34 of the cows were already recovered while six were still missing.

Meanwhile, the Isabela provincial disaster risk reduction management office reported that around 500 families were evacuated and four bridges are not passable as of Tuesday afternoon.

Red Cross

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has directed its more than a hundred chapters spread nationwide to help in rescue and relief operations following the flooding caused by Enteng.

PRC chairman and CEO Richard Gordon said PRC chapters should also mobilize its staff and volunteers – around 2 million – to implement preparedness measures, deploy its prepositioned equipment and vehicles and ensure chapters operate in optimal capacity.

Since Monday afternoon, PRC units have assisted 4,534 families across 72 evacuation centers in gravely hit areas in Metro Manila, Rizal and Cavite.

The PRC also said it continues to be on the lookout for increase in dengue and leptospirosis cases, with its health and blood services securing enough prophylactic medication (doxycycline) for the chapters and ensuring blood supplies are adequate. — Ric Sapnu, Rudy Santos, Emmanuel Tupas, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Evelyn Macairan, Rhodina Villanueva, Romina Cabrera