THE fatality count of the combined effects of recent storms and the southwest monsoon has climbed to 31 confirmed dead, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.
Three others remain missing.
This, as the weather bureau warned of yet another episode of moderate to heavy rain affecting several provinces, including the National Capital Region (NCR).
At the same time, the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), which acts as the NDRRMC secretariat, reported that the affected population has also increased to 2.2 million families, or 7.7 million persons.
As of 6:00 a.m. on August 26, 346 evacuation centers continue to assist a total of 8,446 families or 28,910 persons.
The NDRRMC said that due to flooding and landslides, a total of 2,700 houses were damaged.
The total cost of damage to public and private infrastructure has also ballooned to P5.5 billion, while damage to crops is pegged at P1.9 billion.
The government said some P1.42 billion in assistance was provided to affected families.
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said that the number of localities under a state of calamity has increased to 104 from Tuesday’s total of 102 cities and towns owing to severe flooding.
Severely affected were Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Zambales, which all declared province-wide states of calamities.
In its weather advisory for the southwest monsoon issued at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said heavy rains are expected from Friday to Saturday in Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro.
The state weather bureau said that numerous flooding events are likely under such weather conditions, especially in areas that are urbanized, low-lying, or near rivers.
Moreover, Pagasa warned that landslides are also likely in moderate to highly susceptible areas.
Zambales, which has experienced severe flooding over the past days, is still experiencing moderate rainfall, along with La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro until Thursday.
On Friday, moderate rainfall will affect Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite and Batangas.
The weather bureau said that under the current weather conditions, localized flooding is possible in urbanized, low-lying, or river-adjacent areas, with the possibility of landslides in highly susceptible areas.
Pagsasa further warned that forecast rainfall may be higher in mountainous and elevated areas, and that impacts in some areas may be worsened by significant antecedent rainfall.