Christmas floods death toll now 44; over 50,000 left homeless
HELP HAS COME Thousands of assorted relief goods from different donors are now stored at the Bay Front Arena in Poblacion, Oroquieta City on Thursday to be distributed to different evacuation centers by local government relief workers. RICHEL UMEL
Twelve more people were added to the growing list of fatalities a week after the heavy downpour since Christmas Day has flooded many parts of the country, leaving thousands celebrating the New Year in evacuation centers or on the streets.
The number of dead caused by the shear line-induced rains climbed to 44 as of Friday, according to the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Majority of the fatalities—who died due to drowning or being buried in landslides—were in Northern Mindanao with 24. Bicol region reported six deaths, while Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao region had four fatalities each. Eastern Visayas and Caraga each recorded three dead.
The death toll may increase further in the coming days as 28 were still reported missing—higher than Thursday’s count of 24, the NDRRMC said.
A number of towns in the Mimaropa and Bicol regions in Luzon, and Eastern Visayas and Mindanao had been inundated by flash floods since Christmas Eve due to the effects of the shear line, which is formed by the convergence of a cold and warm wind fronts.
Displaced
A total of 517,845 persons or 133,344 families were affected in 933 barangays from the country’s 10 out of 17 regions, the NDRRMC said.
More than 56,807 persons were displaced as they still could not go back to their homes due to the devastation caused by the shear-line rains. A total of 4,604 families or 15,800 individuals were still residing in 151 evacuation centers in Mimaropa, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and Caraga as of Friday.
A total of 41,007 persons or 10,925 families were taking shelter in other places.
The NDRRMC reported over P1.13 billion worth of damage to infrastructure and P232.7 million to agriculture.
A total of 21 cities and municipalities were declared under the state of calamity, including Llorente in Eastern Samar; Dapitan and Polanco in Zamboanga del Norte; Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental; and the entire province of Misamis Occidental. INQ
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