The death toll from the floods in the Philippines in the first two weeks of 2023 has reached 27, while the number of injured stands at nearly a dozen, the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported. On Saturday, NDRRMC said that at least 20 people had died amid the floods caused by heavy rainfall. Another eight people were reported injured and one person was missing. On Sunday, NDRRMC said that the death toll from the floods stood at 27. Eleven people were injured. A total of 1,281 houses have been damaged, 369 of them were completely destroyed. Over 50 cities have experienced power disruptions. The floods have damaged more than 200 roads and over 50 bridges. A total of 217 evacuation centers have been set up, currently housing about 112,600 people, according to the disaster management agency. Rains, floods and landslides during the first two weeks of 2023 due to various weather systems have so far affected people in several regions of the country, disaster officials said. Four of the latest additions to the death toll were from the towns of Baroy and Tubod in Lanao del Norte, including an eight-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy. Last Thursday, strong winds that toppled trees in an uphill village east of Zamboanga City resulted in the death of a nine-year-old girl, raising to four the city's fatality count due to bad weather. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the rains that caused flooding in many parts of the country since the start of the year have been caused by the combined effects of low-pressure areas, the northeast monsoon and the shear line. No typhoon has entered the Philippine area of responsibility this year, but these weather disturbances have brought torrential rains in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. The deaths attributed to bad weather in the first two weeks of 2023 are separate from the 52 who died in weather-related events during Christmas week last month. At present, the estimated worth of damage to agriculture stands at more than P252.6 million while damage to infrastructure has reached P165.7 million. The NDRRMC reported a total of 121,950 families or 523,991 persons have been adversely affected, including 13,238 families or 70,617 displaced residents now being housed at 123 evacuation centers. In Negros Occidental, authorities said the number of affected families rose yesterday to 3,526 or 12,016 individuals, among whom 1,131 are now sheltered at evacuation centers. Evacuation due to rising floodwaters and rockslides had to be carried out in 37 barangays of the cities of Sagay, Cadiz, Talisay and Bago and the municipalities of Cauayan, Valladolid, Ilog,Candoni, San Enrique and Cauayan. Saturday, the low-pressure area east of Surigao del Norte brought scattered to widespread rains over parts of the country, which PAGASA warned may lead to possible flash floods and landslides during heavy rains. The low-pressure area is also expected to bring scattered rain showers over Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga peninsula, Mimaropa, Quezon and the rest of Caraga and the Visayas. The rest of Mindanao will also see isolated rain showers and localized thunderstorms. For its part, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured the public that it remains on alert status to monitor and assist local government units (LGUs) in their relief operations to families severely affected and displaced by the various weather disturbances across the country. DSWD officer-in-charge Eduardo Punay said the agency has stockpiles and standby funds worth over P1.26 billion ready for augmentation to concerned LGUs. Punay also said that upon the directive of President Marcos, all regions affected by weather disturbances will be provided with sufficient augmentation assistance in a timely manner. — Agencies
