Death toll from Christmas weekend floods jumps to 32; agri damage tops P200 M

Pedestrians and motorists negotiate a flooded street in Brooke’s Point, Palawan last December 27. The shear line triggered heavy rainfall and massive flooding in parts of Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao over the Christmas weekend.   (Ronie Mendoza, Contributor)

MANILA, Philippines — The number of deaths due to shear line-induced rains and floods in parts of the Visayas, Mindanao and Southern Luzon over the Christmas weekend has risen to 32, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday. 

Northern Mindanao has the most number of fatalities with 18, followed by  the Bicol region with 6, Zamboanga Peninsula (4), Eastern Visayas (3) and the Caraga region (1).

Meanwhile, 24 persons are still missing, and 11 people were reported injured, the NDRRMC added. 

At least 486,485 people were affected by heavy rainfall and floods while 101,613 people were displaced. 

Damage to agriculture, so far, was pegged at P208,539,170 as 7,408.099 hectares of  farmlands were either partially or totally damaged, affecting the livelihood of 9,195 farmers, said the NDRRMC.

The NDRRMC also said that damage to infrastructure was pegged at P51,550,000.

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