The death toll from the heavy rains due to tropical cyclones in the past days but are continuously being induced by southwest monsoon rose to 15 in the updated reports from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said a total of six people were also reported missing while 13 were injured due to different incidents that include landslides, flashflood, and electrocution.

“All of these are still to be validated by the Office of Civil Defense but these are the reports that we obtained from our personnel on the ground,” said Co in a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

In Ilocos Region, one person was reported to have been electrocuted in La Union while another one drowned in Alaminos, Pangasinan.

In Cordillera Administrative Region, six people died due to two separate incidents of landslides—two of them died in La Trinidad, Benguet last week while four more died in Baguio City on Sunday night.

In Calabarzon, seven people were reported fatalities— three of them from Batangas due to drowning, electrocution and landslide; two due to landslides in Rodriguez, Rizal; one in Binangonan, Rizal due to drowning; and another one in Antipolo City who was hit by an uprooted tree.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. earlier ordered the mobilization of more policemen and resources to assist local government units in disaster respose as heavy rains continue.

On Monday, Nartatez gave another order alerting police units in areas affected by heavy rains to prepare for preemptive evacuation, especially that some dams released waters after reaching critical levels.

Co said more than 3,300 policemen were already deployed to secure vital installations and evacuees staying in various evacuation centers across the country.

Weather experts warned that the heavy rains will continue at least on Tuesday.

In Mimaropa, police forces further increased their operational readiness as the “habagat” continues to bring heavy rains across parts of the region.

Brig. Gen. Christopher dela Cruz, director of the Police Regional Office-Mimaropa, said police units have been instructed to closely monitor vulnerable areas, maintain coordination with local government units (LGUs) and disaster risk reduction and management offices, and ensure the immediate availability of personnel and resources whenever the situation requires.

He said Regional Standby Support Force (RSSF) personnel have been placed on standby across the region for immediate deployment and augmentation.

Mimaropa is composed of the provinces of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.

Del Cruz said police personnel were positioned at evacuation centers, transport hubs, and other areas of concern to assist affected and stranded individuals, maintain peace and order, and help keep communities safe.

“Our priority is to make sure that our people and resources are ready before they are needed, especially in areas where the weather may pose a threat to life and property,” said Dela Cruz.

In Western Visayas, police forces have shifted to road clearing as part of the efforts to normalize the daily activities after the heavy rains blocked some road networks.

Brig. Gen. Randulf T. Tuaño, director of the Police Regional Office 6, said police commanders were instructed to monitor blocked road networks and ensure that they are all cleared.

He said coordination was also done to check on the condition of local residents in areas heavily affected by the weather disturbance.

“The objective of these operations is to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and to improve the mobility of residents, rescue teams and other responders in order for all the government to reach the affected residents in the soonest possible time,” said Tuaño.