Project Noah MTSAT image, September 24, 2013, 3:32 PM. Screengrab from https://noah.dost.gov.ph/
MANILA, Philippines—At least 70,000 persons were affected from the heavy rains spawned by typhoon Odette (international name Usagi) last week and the southwest monsoon early this week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
In NDRRMC’s Tuesday report, there were 72,696 persons affected in Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Western Visayas from the rains that started last week. Of these, 63,215 persons were housed in evacuation centers.
Odette, the strongest typhoon in the country this year, battered northern Luzon last week. After its exit over the weekend, monsoon rains that were enhanced by a storm over the Pacific Ocean poured in Luzon.
About 30 were killed in monsoon rain-triggered flashfloods and landslides in Central Luzon alone. At least 27 were killed from landslides recorded in San Isidro, Wawandue, San Mercelino and Castillejos in Zambales. Olongapo City and Dinalupihan in Bataan had two deaths from drowning. In Castillejos, an 84-year-old male died from hypothermia.
Three were reportedly killed from the onslaught of Odette due to drowning, two in Aurora and one in Batangas.
Subic was inundated by floods, and was tagged as one of the worst flooding in its history, according to Councilor Winnie Ortiz. Olongapo City and Subic were placed under state of calamity due to the monsoon rains.
In a press briefing, NDRRMC Executive Director Eduardo del Rosario said that residents in the areas which had landslides were earlier advised to relocate as these areas were identified as “high-risk areas.”
“Our fellowmen there were advised to relocate already or re-settle but the problem is because of their financial consideration they could not re-settle themselves and transfer to a new site,” he said.
“So instead there should be pre-evacuation. We expected that the residents will conduct pre-evacuation to secure themselves and their families but in this incident they did not leave right away despite the warning of Pagasa that rains will continue,” he added.
“So we call on them to do voluntary pre-evacuation for them to avoid calamities,” del Rosario said.
Asked if local government units were responsible, del Rosario said that “it has to be determined later,” adding that he thinks that the [national] government did not fall short in releasing advisories.
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