THE official death toll from “Enteng” has reached 15 as the severe tropical storm exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) yesterday.
Twenty-one persons were still missing.
“On casualties, there are 15 dead, 15 injured, and 21 missing reported. But these (figures) are still subject for validation,” said Cesar Idio, director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Operations Service who briefed President Marcos Jr yesterday on the effects of Enteng and the southwest monsoon that it enhanced.
The number of fatalities may further increase as the Calabarzon police regional office has reported 10 deaths in Rizal alone, compared to eight reported by the OCD.
Idio’s power point presentation showed eight of the fatalities died from drowning and landslides in Rizal, two in Cebu City (drowning), two in Naga City (drowning and electrocution), and one in Negros Occidental (drowning). Two others died in Northern Samar but the cause of death was not given.
Idio said 442,804 families or 1.7 million persons were affected, mostly in Bicol.
Of the number, 21,681 families (88,077 persons) are staying in evacuation. Idio also said 6,348 families (18,757 persons) who have also been displaced are being served outside evacuation centers.
Idio said 121 areas have been flooded in six regions — Ilocos, Central Luzon, National Capital Region (Metro Manila), Calabarzon, Bicol, and Eastern Samar.
He said 50 of areas remain flooded as of yesterday. Twenty-nine of the still-flooded areas are in Eastern Visayas.
Idio said the cost of damage to agriculture was placed at P351 million and to infrastructure, P200,000. This is on top of 589 damaged houses.
Idio said Naga City and Allen town in Northern Samar have declared a state of calamity.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Enteng exited PAR early morning yesterday.
In its final bulletin for Enteng issued at 5 am, PAGASA said the tropical cyclone was some 265 km northwest of Laoag City as of 4 a.m. yesterday.
It was packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 125. It is moving west northwest slowly.
There are no more areas with wind signal.
“Enteng is forecast to make another landfall in the vicinity of southern mainland China during the weekend,” PAGASA said of Enteng, which made landfall in Casiguran, Aurora last Monday.
“Enteng is forecast to intensify throughout the forecast period and may become a typhoon within the next 12 hours (from 5 a.m. yesterday),” added PAGASA.
AID
President Marcos Jr., after the briefing, conducted an aerial assessment on the damage caused by Enteng in Marikina, Antipolo City, and other parts of Metro Manila and Rizal province.
He ordered the continued provision of assistance to those affected by Enteng and directed authorities to start preparing for other weather disturbances that are expected to hit the country.
PAGASA said parts of the country may still experience torrential rains even after Enteng has left, and two more weather disturbances are expected later this month.
The President, during the briefing, said the government has a standard operating procedure in place, which guides responses and actions to be taken during calamities.
Marcos, however, emphasized the importance of timely and accurate weather forecasts and bulletins to enable appropriate response, including suspension of work and classes and pre-emptive evacuation.
He said among reasons for delays in announcement of work and class suspension were are late weather advisories resulting from sudden changes in weather patterns and movements.
“Let’s employ all the best technologies, all the best information; let us be in touch with all of our – all of the other weather stations, the US (United States) Coast Guard, Japan… all of them provide us with information. You’re doing it already. I know that you are doing it already so let’s just keep that going so that we can do our best,” he added.
The President directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to sustain provision of aid, the Department of Health to intensify its information drive on leptospirosis, and the Department of Public Works and Highways to ensure flood clearing operations.
He also ordered the close monitoring of dams. He said that while Enteng has left, rains continue and there might be a need to release water from dams.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the agency has deployed 133,000 family food packs to areas hit by Enteng and is processing another 100,000 packs.
As of 6 a.m. yesterday, DSWD has distributed P69.75 million worth of food packs and non-food relief items to 10 regions affected by Enteng.
The agency still has P2.661 billion worth of cash, food and non-food relief items on standby.
GARBAGE
Over 140 truckloads of garbage materials have been collected so far in the ongoing cleanup drive in the metropolis, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said.
Since September 1, the agency has collected 105 truckloads of garbage and the clean-up drive is still ongoing, said Michael Doce, chief of the MMDA’s Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office Division.
These tons of trash were hauled away from rivers, esteros, and canals in various areas of the metropolis.
Yesterday, MMDA personnel continued removing trash from Balimbing Creek in Muntinlupa City, Andrews Avenue in Pasay City, M.H. Del Pilar in Malabon City, Zapote Junction in Las Piñas City, and Span Boulevard in Manila.
Doce said the MMDA has also collected 45 cubic meters of trash in the same period from the “dolomite beach” in Manila.
He added they expect to collect and remove more garbage in the area and appealed anew to the public not to dump their garbage anywhere.
Doce said the MMDA expects the garbage from Enteng to be less compared to typhoon “Carina” and the southwest monsoon last month, which was 1,513 tons.
On flooding, the agency said 71 major and minor pumping stations worked round-the-clock to pump floodwaters at the height of Enteng. Last May, MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes said the agency has identified 80 flood-prone areas in Metro Manila, where haphazard dumping of garbage worsened flooding.
CLASSES
The Eastern part of Metro Manila announced suspended classes yesterday in public and private schools due to the continuous rains.
The suspension was announced by Marikina, Mandaluyong, Pasig and San Juan after PAGASA issued a yellow rainfall warning in Metro Manila.
The suspension was also due to rising water levels in the Marikina River, which reached the first alarm at 1 a.m. after the water level hit 15 meters. It drop to below 15 meters at around 7 a.m. but affected residents remained in evacuation centers in case the water level rises again.
The Pasig City government reminded the public to be cautious when sharing announcements, noting that official updates, including class suspensions, will be posted only on the official Facebook page of the Pasig City Public Information Office (PIO) and Mayor Vico Sotto. — With Jocelyn Montemayor, Ashzel Hachero and Christian Oineza
