Five more people were confirmed dead yesterday, bringing to 46 the total number of fatalities due to the week-long havoc wrought by tropical storm “Gener” combined with the Southwest Monsoon in various parts of the country, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
NDRRMC executive director Undersecretary Benito Ramos was saddened by the still growing number of fatalities even after typhoon Gener had been declared out of the country’s area of responsibility since Friday.
The NDRRMC also reported a significant increase in the cost of damage which now stand at P339,806,796.20, mostly in crops and livestocks.
Ramos said four of the latest fatalities came from one family whose house was pinned down by a mudslide in Midasalip, Zamboanga del Sur on Saturday afternoon.
The NDRRMC head identified the victims as Miguel Mandao Sr., 46, and his children Miguel Jr., eight-year-old Mario, and four-year-old Vilman.
Two other members of the family — Solidad Mandao, 46, the mother, and 11-year-old Jomar survived the incident but were injured.
Ramos said the fifth fatality was the missing person reported in Ilocos Sur, identified as Venice Sinopen, whose body was recovered 8 a.m. Sunday.
“It is saddening that while Gener has already moved out but the southwest monsoon continue(d) to bring rains… it is saddening why they (Mandao family) were still there in the landslide-prone area,” he said.
Ramos reiterated the government’s warning to those living along low-lying, flood-prone and landslide-prone areas to be on alert, noting the saturation on the ground due to continuing rains brings danger of landslides.
“Gener was gone but the rains continue, so our warning to the public that even with small amount of rains due to the southwest monsoon… our people should be wary especially those living along landslide- and flood-prone areas,” he said.
Ramos also noted the number of affected people had risen to 190,198 families composed of 858,534 people from 150 towns and 28 cities of 35 provinces in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, IX, X, XI, XII, the Cordillera Administrative Region and the National Capital Region.
Of that number, only 3,258 families or 14,181 individuals were still in 94 evacuation centers.
“There is an increase in number of affected families but there is a decrease in the number of evacuation centers and in the number of families inside evacuation centers… people have opted to return to their homes due to improving weather situation,” he said.
Major dams in Luzon region, namely Ipo, Ambuklao, Binga and San Roque, continued to release excess water which could flood low-lying areas in Bulacan and Pangasinan.
“The water releases is expected to affect low-lying areas along Angat River from Norzagaray and Hagonoy,” Ramos said.