The death toll due to flooding and intense rains brought by a shearline during the Christmas season has reached 25 on Wednesday, Dec. 28, as top disaster officials flew to Northern Mindanao (Region 10) to extend assistance to one of the hardest-hit regions.

(Sitting, R-L) National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Raymundo Ferrer and NDRRMC Chairman Jose Faustino Jr. visit Northern Mindanao (Region 10) and meet with local chief executives on Dec. 28, 2022 after it was battered by intense rains and flooding brought by a shearling that has killed 25 people, including 16 in the region. (Photo: NDRRMC)

In its latest situational report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that 16 of the fatalities were recorded in Region 10, five were logged in Bicol Region (Region 5), and two each were listed in Eastern Visayas (Region 8) and Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9).

Of this, 12 deaths were newly recorded by the NDRRMC and they were all due to drowning. In Misamis Occidental, Wilfreda Acle, 74, Luchi Maisling, 38, and Florentino Gabule, 53, drowned in Jimenez town while Risalyn Dado, 6, Herman Caimor, 75, Eudesia Regalado, 87, and Rito Malinis, 59, also drowned in Aloran town. In Bukidnon, 47-year-old Bebing Salindim and 63-year-old Melencio Lomanoy drowned in San Fernando and Impasugong towns, respectively. The NDRRMC also said that Noel Zafe, 51, drowned in Virac, Catanduanes; Bermon Reyes, 29, died in Naga; and Claudio Baje, 60, perished in Zamboanga del Norte.

The death toll is feared to further increase as 26 individuals were still missing and nine others were reported injured.

The missing persons were recorded in Camarines Sur (1), Catanduanes (7), Sorsogon (1), Camarines Norte (2), and Albay (1) in Region 5; Northern Samar (9) and Eastern Samar (2) in Region 8; Dipolog (1) in Zamboanga del Norte in Region 9; and Misamis Occidental (2) in Region 10.

Relief efforts

Massive relief efforts led by Department of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge and NDRRMC Chairman Jose Faustino Jr. and NDRRMC Executive Director Raymundo Ferrer were launched by the national government as they trooped to Region 10 to conduct an aerial inspection of the flooded areas.

Faustino assured local chief executives in the region that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was closely monitoring the situation in Misamis Occidental and other affected areas. He added that the Chief Executive has instructed the NDRRMC to provide all needed assistance to the affected local government units (LGUs).

“The NDRRMC is working with all relevant agencies to ensure that timely and appropriate support is given to the displaced families,” Faustino said.

The number of affected families has reached 102,476 families or 393,069 individuals across Mimaropa (Region 4B), Region 5, Western Visayas (Region 6), Central Visayas (Region 7), Region 8, Region 9, Region 10, Davao Region (Region 11), Caraga (Region 13), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

A total of 20,723 families or 81,443 individuals were temporarily staying in 292 evacuation centers, the NDRRMC noted.

Assistance

According to the NDRRMC, a total of P16 million worth of assistance such as family food packs, bottled waters, shelter kits, hygiene kits, blankets, and financial aid were provided to the affected individuals in Bicol, Visayas provinces, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and BARMM. The distribution of relief aid was conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Search and rescue personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) save flood-affected residents in Lamitan City, Basilan on Dec. 26, 2022. (Photo: PCG)

Other government agencies such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) deployed emergency telecommunications teams to bring very small aperture terminal (VSAT) equipment to the areas where power and signal were cut off while responders from the OCD, AFP, Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and LGUs were conducting search and rescue operations.

“We will continue to provide food, water, and other items to help the displaced families staying in the evacuation centers and in other affected areas. This will not stop until the situation improves and they are able to return to their homes,” Faustino said.

Agri, infra damage

The NDRRMC said that the intense rains and flooding have destroyed P63,874,087.20 worth of agricultural products in Regions 5, 8, and 10.

Meanwhile, damage to infrastructure in was pegged at P20.87 million in Regions 4B, 5, and 10.

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NDRRMC: Death toll from Christmas rains, flooding jumps to 25; disaster officials conduct aerial inspection in Northern Mindanao