Ben Madilynn
THE Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) said on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, that 15 people were reported dead due to the onslaught of the combined effects of the habagat and Severe Tropical Storm Enteng (international name: Yagi).
OCD Director for Operations Service Cesar Idio reported the matter during a situational briefing presided over by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
He said 15 were also recorded to have been injured while 21 are still missing in Habagat and Enteng-related incidents.
In a situational report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said a total of 149,661 persons or 547,029 individuals in 695 barangays in Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Western and Central Visayas and National Capital Region (NCR) were affected by the effects of Enteng which enhances habagat.
Of these, 12,742 families or 50,076 individuals are currently housed in 323 evacuation centers in the affected regions.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, based on the report of the NDRRMC, has distributed nearly P31.3 million worth of food and non-food assistance to the affected families.
The disaster bureau said it is validating 12 deaths attributed to the weather disturbances.
The OCD also reported that damage and losses to agriculture due to the weather systems have reached P350.85 million, affecting 13,623 farmers.
The volume of production loss stands at 14,814 metric tons, impacting 8,893 hectares of agricultural land dedicated to rice, corn, and high-value crops.
The NDRRMC said 455 passengers in various seaports in Calabarzon and Western Visayas remain stranded.
It also monitored 110 flooded areas in Ilocos, Central Visayas, Calabarzon, Bicol, Central Visayas and NCR, as well as four rain-induced landslides.
As of 4 a.m. Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Enteng has already exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Pagasa Deputy Administrator Dr. Marcelino Villafuerte said that Enteng is currently located 300 kilometers (km) west-northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h and gusts of up to 125 km/h. It is moving “slowly” towards the west-northwest.
He said that it will continue to enhance habagat, which will bring torrential rains over the northern part of Luzon as well as Metro Manila.
Marcos ordered concerned government agencies to prepare for possible flooding in areas near water reservoirs.
He ordered Pagasa to keep its reports on dam and flood situations updated.
“Kung patuloy pa rin ang pag-ulan na mabigat…Mapilitan tayo na magbitaw ng tubig,” he said.
(If heavy rain continues… We will be forced to release water.)
Pagasa said that as of 8 a.m., the operator of Ipo Dam had opened one of its washout gates in Bulacan while La Mesa Dam was already at 80.20 meters, above its overflow level of 80.15 meters.
Areas likely to be affected are the municipalities of Norzagaray, Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliuag, Pulilan, Plaridel, Calumpit, Paombong, and Hagonoy, all in the province of Bulacan.
Villafuerte said they have placed a flood precaution for Magat Dam despite lowered water levels in the past 24 hours.
“Hindi po natin maalis ‘yung possibility na ‘yung areas po collecting or encompassing ‘yung watershed ay maaari po na makapag-contribute in the next 24 hours. So that’s why naka-flood precaution tayo,” he said.
(We cannot rule out the possibility that areas collecting or encompassing the watershed may contribute to flooding in the next 24 hours. That’s why we are on flood precaution.)
Affected downstream communities in Isabela province may include areas in the municipalities of Ramon, San Mateo, Alfonso, Cabatuan, Luna, Aurora, and Burgos.
Water from the reservoir is expected to affect areas along the Tullahan River in Quezon City, Valenzuela City, and Malabon City.
Villafuerte said another tropical cyclone is expected to enter the PAR within the week and another weather disturbance next week. It will be named Ferdie and Gener, respectively.
The country is also expected to experience two to three weather systems in October and one to two in November and December. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
