The number of deaths caused by the floods in Capiz has risen to 5, bringing to 10 the death toll attributed to the torrential rain spawned by Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen) that inundated many areas in Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and parts of Southern Luzon.
Capiz disaster response authorities initially reported only one person, May Mae Urdelas, 23, who died Saturday, October 18, after she slipped, fell, and was swept away by the strong current of a creek in Ivisan town. By late Sunday, however, four more persons were confirmed to have died.
According to the Capiz Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the confirmed fatalities aside from Urdelas were 44-year-old Rizaldo Balgos, from Roxas City; a 45-year-old man from Barangay Dulangan of Pilar town, who was electrocuted; and two more individuals from Roxas City whose identities were still being verified.
Earlier on Sunday, a family of five in Quezon province died after they were crushed by a tree that fell on their house in Pitogo town.
Capiz provincial authorities said intense rainfall triggered the severe flooding, with Saturday’s downpour alone nearly matching the average rainfall for an entire month.
The provincial capital, Roxas City, which is now in a state of calamity, recorded only 305 millimeters of rain between October 1 and October 17, but nearly 400 millimeters fell in a single day on Saturday, exceeding the city’s typical monthly total for October.
The floods have affected 3,307 families, or 9,665 individuals, across 61 barangays in Capiz. In Roxas City alone, more than 800 families, or over 2,000 individuals, were rescued as floodwaters submerged several communities.
Hundreds of commuters were stranded after public and private vehicles were unable to pass through flooded roads in various towns.
Classes in all levels have been suspended from Monday, October 20, until Wednesday, October 22, as authorities continue to monitor water levels in rivers and canals.
Local officials have urged residents to stay alert, avoid crossing flooded roads, and evacuate when necessary. Relief goods continue to be distributed in evacuation centers, while search and rescue teams remain on standby should conditions worsen.