AT least four persons have died in incidents caused by monsoon rains in the past days while nearly 25,000 others have been displaced in Metro Manila and several other regions, authorities said yesterday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned of “widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides” as it said rains will continue in several areas in Luzon.
Ipo Dam in Bulacan released water at noon yesterday as its water level reached 101.3 meters because of heavy rainfall.
PAGASA said the southwest monsoon will continue to bring “moderate to heavy with at times intense rains” in the Ilocos Region and the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Zambales, and Bataan, and “light to moderate with at times heavy rains” in Metro Manila, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands.
It also said occasional gusty winds will be experienced especially in the coastal and upland localities of these areas.
Ricardo Jalad, executive officer of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and concurrent head of the Office of the Civil Defense, confirmed three of the deaths.
Jalad said one of the fatalities, a 39-year-old woman, died when the vehicle she was riding was hit by an uprooted tree along Kennon Road in Baguio City. He said two others were injured in the incident.
Jalad said the two other fatalities recorded by NDRRMC were hit by lightning that struck in Pinili town in Ilocos Norte. Three others were reported injured in the lighting strike.
The NDRRMC public affairs later said the deaths attributed to lighting are subject to “validation.” It also said the reported fatalities were both males — a 15-year-old student and a 35-year-old farmer.
Meanwhile, police said John Errico, 28, a sales agent, died after he was swept by strong currents while fishing in Barangay Binubusan, Lian town in Batangas. The police said Errico was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital.
The NDRRMC, in a situational report, said at least 6,000 families or almost 24,800 persons have been displaced by the monsoon rains in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Metro Manila (National Capital Region), Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas regions.
Of the number, about 5,500 families are staying in evacuation centers while the rest are with their relatives or friends. — With Noel Talacay and Jocelyn Montemayor
