Manila: The combined effects of the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, and three tropical cyclones named Mirasol, Nando, and Opong have resulted in 26 fatalities and nearly 2.8 million people impacted across the nation, as reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday.
According to Philippines News Agency, a total of 738,714 families, equating to 2,797,706 individuals, have been affected by continuous heavy rains, floods, and landslides caused by the intensified southwest monsoon. Among those affected, 46,611 families or 163,317 individuals are currently residing in 2,680 evacuation centers, while 31,448 families or 118,957 individuals are receiving assistance outside these centers.
The NDRRMC’s report indicates that 26 people have lost their lives, 33 have sustained injuries, and 14 individuals remain missing. The majority of the fatalities occurred in Cagayan Valley with eight deaths, and Bicol Region with nine deaths. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has recorded four deaths, while Central Luzon and Central Visayas reported two each, and Eastern Visayas reported one. However, 22 of these fatalities are still pending validation, and four have been confirmed by the NDRRMC.
In terms of structural damage, at least 8,916 houses have been affected across regions including Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, CAR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The damage to agriculture has surpassed PHP1 billion, while infrastructure damage is estimated at PHP864,109,901.08 in regions such as Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, CAR, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western and Central Visayas.
Furthermore, government aid amounting to PHP137,597,235.49 has been provided to 149,675 families through national and local government agencies.
