Manila: Six people perished and seven were injured due to the combined effects of tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and the southwest monsoon or 'habagat,' the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Saturday.
According to Philippines News Agency, of the death toll, two were reported in Benguet due to a landslide, two in Rodriguez, Rizal due to a rockslide, and another two in La Union due to drowning and electrocution. Six were injured in Baguio and La Trinidad due to a landslide while one was injured in Kapangan, Benguet due to a vehicular accident.
As of 6 a.m., the council reported that 74,755 families, consisting of 261,048 individuals, have been affected by the severe weather conditions, with 7,580 people taking shelter in evacuation centers. Damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by Luis, Maymay, and the habagat has reached PHP109 million. The government has extended at least PHP7.3 million in assistance to those affected.
Meanwhile, the La Union Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) stated that one of the fatalities in the province was a 45-year-old man who drowned on Aug. 4 along the irrigation canal of Barangay Rimos 1, Luna. The incident occurred at Maluyo River within the jurisdiction of Barangay Rimos when the victim was fishing with his brother-in-law. The water level of the river suddenly rose, preventing him from escaping.
The PDRRMO estimated losses to agriculture in the province at PHP12.9 million, infrastructure at PHP3.4 million, and livestock at PHP205,950. Nineteen houses in San Fernando City, San Juan, Agoo, Bauang, Caba, Naguilian, and Santo Tomas towns were damaged, while two houses in Bauang and Naguilian towns were destroyed.
A total of 46 flooding incidents were reported in Bauang, Agoo, Bangar, Santo Tomas, Naguilian, and San Fernando City, primarily due to Maymay. The PDRRMO recorded four landslides in Sudipen, Naguilian, and Luna, along with two mudslides and one rockslide in San Fernando City.
The weather disturbances have affected 8,366 families, consisting of 26,612 individuals, in 192 barangays across 17 municipalities, according to the PDRRMO. The provincial and local government units, along with national government agencies, continue to provide assistance to the affected families.
