Weather damage hits P7.8B; 7.7M people affected

Damage to infrastructure and agriculture from tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng and the southwest monsoon has reached ₱7.81 billion, while the number of affected people climbed to 7.7 million, disaster officials reported Thursday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said infrastructure accounted for about ₱5.95 billion of the damage, while agricultural losses reached approximately ₱1.86 billion.

Infrastructure damage was reported in the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Western Visayas.

Agricultural losses, meanwhile, were recorded in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Western Visayas.

In a separate update, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said about 2.2 million families, or 7.7 million people, have been affected by the successive weather disturbances across 10 regions.

Affected areas include the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Calabarzon, Cordillera Administrative Region, Metro Manila and Mimaropa.

Of the affected population, about 8,200 families, or 28,000 individuals, remained in 325 evacuation centers.

The government has so far provided about ₱1.56 billion in assistance to affected communities.

The reported death toll remained at 31 and is still undergoing validation, while 19 people were injured and three remained missing.

Benguet recorded the highest number of reported fatalities at 15, including 10 in Baguio City, two in La Trinidad and three in Atok, all due to landslides.

Authorities also recorded about 2,800 damaged houses, including approximately 2,500 that were partially damaged and 340 that were destroyed.