Rains and floods from LPA and shear line affect over 1 million, says NDRRMC

FLOODED  Philippine Coast Guard says the 80,000 sacks of rice carried by MV Viet Hai Star, which ran aground off Balabac town in Palawan, are still in the flooded cargo vessel. The Vietnamese-flagged ship, which came from Ho Chi Minh City, was on its way to Cagayan de Oro city on Tuesday when it encountered rough sea conditions. (Photo from PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD)

MANILA, Philippines —The combined effects of two weather systems that triggered rains and floods in parts of the country have affected over one million people.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) gave this number in a report released at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

NDRRMC said the low pressure are and shear line have caused an impact on over 1,003,271 people or 254,160 families residing in 1,452 barangays.

Out of these figures, 81,110 individuals were displaced, with 32,699 taking shelter elsewhere or outside evacuation centers and 48,411 staying inside 156 evacuation centers across the country.

The evacuation centers are located in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Regions 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), and 8 (Eastern Visayas).

Meanwhile, NDRRMC is validating reports on the death of two people due to bad weather.

The two weather systems also brought damage to the country’s crop sector, amounting to over P119 million.

The weather affected 5,414 farmers and fisherfolk as well.

NDRRMC distributed more P65 million worth of assistance.

From the amount, over P63 million came from Department of Social Welfare and Development and more than P1 million were sent by Office of Civil Defense.

Last November 14, NDRRMC said the shear line brought huge amount of rain over Oriental Mindoro, Quezon, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas.

At the same time, LPA, then located 935 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao, affected Eastern Visayas and Caraga.

Although the LPA dissipated on November 19, the shear line caused continuous rainfall over portions of Bicol, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas.