6 dead, 120 houses damaged due to tropical cyclones and monsoon in PH

The reported death toll due to the effects of the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), and tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay have reached six, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Saturday. "In terms of casualties, mayroon na tayong bina-validate na 6. Dalawa sa Rodriguez, Rizal; dalawa sa Benguet, at mayroong dalawa sa La Union," OCD Deputy Administrator and Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said in an interview on Dobol B TV. (In terms of casualties. We are validating six [reported deaths]. Two in Rodriguez, Rizal; two in Benguet, and there are two in La Union.) There were seven reported injuries in Benguet that are also being validated, he said. "Tuloy-tuloy pa rin nating nararanasan ang Southwest Monsoon lalo na sa norte, sa Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet and parts of Region 3, even hanggang Mindoro," Alejandro said. (We are still experiencing the Southwest Monsoon, especially in the north, in Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet and parts of Region 3, even up to Mindoro.) "As of this morning, mayroon na tayong 74,800 families or 261,000 persons na apektado sa weather system na ito," he said. (As of this morning, we have 74,800 families or 261,000 persons who have been affected by this weather system.) Some 2,500 families are in 83 evacuation centers while more or less 2,200 individuals are being served outside evacuation centers, the OCD official said. "Nagbibigay tulong tayo in terms of making sure na ma-evacuate 'yung mga nasa river tributaries (sa Pangasinan) dahil tuloy-tuloy ang pagbaba ng tubig galing sa mga bundok sa CAR... Tuloy-tuloy pa ang pag-uulan. Hindi tayo titigil sa pagbibigay ng ayuda doon at pagmo-monitor," Alejandro said. (We are extending assistance in terms of making sure that those near river tributaries are evacuated because the flow of water from the mountains of CAR continues... The rains are also continuous. We will not stop giving assistance and monitoring.) As for flooding, 63 areas have been reported flooded. Most of these are in Regions 1 and 3 and in parts of Calabarzon. Some road sections were still unpassable due to flooding. Landslides also occurred in Region 1 and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Alejandro said. "'Yung mga may balak na pumunta ng Baguio at Cordillera, hindi pa advisable na umakyat kasi may mga landslide at rockslide sa Benguet," he said. (Those who have plans to go to Baguio and Cordillera are advised not to go at this time because there are landslides and rockslides in Benguet.) "In terms of damage naman, 120 houses ang reported na damage sa Region 1, CAR at Region 3," he added. (In terms of damage, 120 houses were damaged in Region 1, CAR, and Region 3.) A total of 13 seaports meanwhile canceled sea trips in Regions 1, 3, 5, and Mimaropa, the OCD official said. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) meanwhile said it distributed financial assistance to families affected by a landslide in Benguet and a rockslide in Rizal triggered by rains from tropical cyclone Maymay and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat. Two people were killed and another was severely injured when a landslide hit an eatery in Barangay Shilan, La Trinidad, Benguet, on August 6. In Rodriguez, Rizal, two people were killed after monsoon rains triggered a rockslide that hit several houses in Barangay Wawa on Wednesday, August 5. Luzon and the Visayas will experience rains within the next 24 hours due to the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), state weather bureau PAGASA said Saturday morning. The monsoon rains will persist until next week, the state weather bureau said. Tropical Depression Maymay exited Philippine landmass on Thursday afternoon then weakened into a low pressure area on August 7 Tropical Depression Luis meanwhile dissipated on August 4. —KG, GMA News