Bad weather death toll rises to 27

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-seven people have died due to rain and floods spawned by several weather disturbances that affected the country this month.

As of yesterday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said at least three persons remain missing.

The casualties were attributed to weather-related incidents brought by the combined effects of the low-pressure areas (LPAs), the shear line and the northeast monsoon or amihan.

Rain, floods and landslides displaced a total of 151,365 families or 614,159 people nationwide. Of the figure, 20,056 families or 83,649 persons sought shelter in 217 evacuation centers.

The NDRRMC said the fatalities – mostly due to drowning – included five in Bicol, six in Eastern Visayas, eight in Zamboanga peninsula, seven in Northern Mindanao and one in Davao region.

The provinces of Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental as well as the Bangsamoro region recorded one missing person each.

More rain due to LPA

Meanwhile, Southern Tagalog and the Visayas as well as parts of Mindanao are expected to experience rain in the next three days due to an LPA spotted more than 100 kilometers east of Maasin in Southern Leyte.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weather disturbance has a low chance of developing into a typhoon, but would still affect the country until at least middle of this week.

Starting today until Wednesday, PAGASA said Metro Manila would have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of isolated and light rain due to the monsoon.

Temperatures in the National Capital Region will range from 22 to 31 degrees Celsius.

Baguio City, which will remain colder at 13 to 24 degrees Celsius, will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of light occasional rains.

Bicol region and Metro Cebu were forecast to have more chances of rain due to the LPA.

Cebu is expected to have improved weather conditions by Wednesday.