Floods due to northeast monsoon, LPA in Mindanao kill 16 persons – NDRRMC

IMPASSABLE Rampaging waters gobble up a road in Monkayo town, Davao de Oro, in this photo taken on Friday (Feb. 2, 2024), after days of intense rain caused by the trough of a low pressure area. (Photo from MONKAYO MUNICIPAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT OFFICE)

MANILA, Philippines — The number of reported deaths due to the combined effects of the northeast monsoon, locally known as amihan, and the trough of a low pressure area (LPA) in Mindanao, has reached 16.

According to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) report issued at 8 a.m. on Sunday, the fatalities are still being validated.

All 16 victims were from Davao region.

NDRRMC is validating reports of 11 injured individuals and three missing persons.

It further reported two weather systems have affected more than 700,000 individuals or over 204,000 families across five regions in Mindanao.

Of these individuals, more than 409,000 are displaced, with 318,000 of them staying outside evacuation centers.

Most notably, over 526,000 of the total affected persons are from Davao region while more than 241,000 are from Caraga.

The agency likewise reported 134 areas across Mindanao are still flooded, as of posting time.

NDRRMC estimated the cost of damage of the two weather systems to infrastructure at P2,610,000.

While it has yet to issue a figure on the worth of damage to agriculture, the agency reported over 1,300 hectares of crops were submerged.

The situation happened due to rains brought by the trough of the LPA and the northeast monsoon.

NDRRMC said more than P10 million worth of assistance was provided to the victims.

Most of the aid came from Department of Social Welfare and Development.

State meteorologists said the LPA dissipated a few days after January 28 but the northeast monsoon is still affecting extreme Northern Luzon.