Tropical storm (TS) "Dante" has claimed two more lives, pushing the total death toll to six as a result, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Friday, June 4.
The NDRRMC said a 49-year-old man was found dead off the coast of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental after his pick-up truck was swept away by a flashflood last Wednesday, June 2. The local government unit (LGU) of Hinoba-an town identified the fatality as retired Police Chief Master Sergeant Dakie Dacuscus.
According to the LGU, Dacuscus and his wife, Jessybel, were swept away while aboard their pickup truck at the height of Dante's onslaught in Hinoba-an.
Authorities rescued Jessybel but Dakie did not make it. The LGU clarified that the retired cop perished after it erroneously reported that he was rescued.
Meanwhile, a 51-year-old man was also washed away by flood in Dumanjug, Cebu last Wednesday. Police identified him as Joel Maravillas, a farmer, of Barangay Tubid-Dugoan in Dumanjug town.
The NDRRMC said the victim attempted to rescue his carabao from the river when the flood current overpowered him. The victim was found dead a few meters away where he tied his carabao. The carabao was reportedly found alive.
The council had earlier reported the death of four people in Davao (Region 11) and SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City or Region 12).
Two persons were also hurt in Region 11 while three others remained missing in Eastern Visayas (Region 8) and Region 11, the NDRRMC added.
Meanwhile, the damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Dante-affected areas was pegged at P14,603,719 and P53.73 million respectively.
The NDRRMC said Dante destroyed 723 hectares of agricultural areas, affecting 442 farmers. It resulted in a production loss of 220 metric tons of rice and corn.
The affected areas were North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat in SOCCSKSARGEN with a total of P7,926,919 worth of damage to agriculture. Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur reported P6,676,800 in agri losses in Caraga (Region 13).
Dante also destroyed houses, roads, bridges, flood control projects, and streetlights, among others in at least four regions.
The affected areas were Marinduque in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan or Region 4B) with P30,000 worth of damage to infrastructure; Central Visayas with P31.2 million; SOCCSKSARGEN with P21 million; and Caraga with P1.5 million