Manila: Manila Electric Company (Meralco) advised its customers to implement safety measures as flooding continues to hamper immediate power restoration in its franchise areas. In a statement, the power distributor said it has reduced the number of power outage-affected customers to around 29,000 as of 6 p.m. Tuesday from over 167,000 as of 7 a.m.

According to Philippines News Agency, Meralco said that nearly half of the remaining affected customers are in flooded areas in Cavite, Metro Manila, and Bulacan, while the others are in Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon provinces. High-bed trucks and motorized fiberglass boats have been deployed to help in power restoration and aid in rescue efforts.

"As we continue to closely monitor the weather situation given the entry of Tropical Depression Dante, we assure our customers that we will not stop until service is safely restored to all affected customers. We are also one with the Department of Energy in urging the public to continue observing electrical safety practices, especially in areas that are still flooded," Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga said.

He also encouraged the public to exercise safety precautions when there is flooding, and these include switching off their circuit breakers, unplugging appliances from sockets, and making sure that all electrical wires and connectors are dry.