The demise toll from floods and heavy rains that hit varied components of the Philippines throughout the Christmas vacation has risen to fifteen, the nationwide catastrophe company mentioned Tuesday.
“Most of the fatalities drowned due to flash floods,” mentioned Diego Mariano, an data officer on the catastrophe company.
Eight of the deaths have been reported within the southern provinces of Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Zambonga del Sur, the company mentioned.
Five folks additionally died within the japanese provinces of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Northern Samar, it added.
Two fishermen died after their boat sank off Southern Leyte province on Christmas Day, the coast guard mentioned.
Twenty-three folks have been nonetheless unaccounted for amid the dangerous climate. Most of the lacking have been fishermen who sailed to sea regardless of robust winds and large waves, Mariano mentioned.
“Search and rescue operations in the coastal areas are continuing, and the coast guard will step up the operations as soon as the weather improves,” he added.
More than 166,000 folks in over a dozen provinces have been affected by the heavy rains and floods, together with 45,337 residents compelled to flee their properties and keep in evacuation centres, it added.
Damage to agriculture and infrastructure was estimated at greater than 87 million pesos (1.6 million {dollars}), the catastrophe company mentioned.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been monitoring the state of affairs, together with efforts to offer emergency help to these affected, his spokesman Cheloy Garafil mentioned.
The climate bureau mentioned no tropical cyclone was affecting the Philippines, however a shear line was inflicting heavy to intense rains over a big a part of the nation.
