Flood damage estimated at P16M
Evacuees Luzon-wide now 12,000--NDCC
By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 10:28am (Mla time) 08/09/2007
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 3) Floods triggered by days of torrential rains in Luzon have so far resulted to over P16 million in damage to agriculture and infrastructure, as the number of evacuees swelled to close to 12,000, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said Thursday evening.
Most of the 11,784 evacuees were in Bulacan province, where floodwaters submerged the towns of Bustos, where 5,279 fled their homes, and in Baliuag, Bulacan, Calumpit, and Norzagaray, the NDCC said.
The total number of people affected by floods also rose to 64,719, the NDCC said.
Damage to agricultural lands and fisheries in Bulacan was estimated at P12.4 million, the NDCC said.
The heavy rains also caused P3.0 million in damages to the Diokno highway in Batangas province and P1.5 million in damages to the Tagaytay-Taal Lake Road in Cavite province, it said.
The death toll since Wednesday remained at two, with seven others injured due to floods and landslides.
One person, identified as Darryl Atallen, was reported missing after he was pinned down by a collapsed riprap in Old Cabalan village, Olongapo City.
The monsoon rains were induced by tropical storms "Chedeng" (international codename: Pabuk) and "Dodong" (Wutip), which hovered over waters off the northeast Philippines before hitting Taiwan.
Except in Bulacan, evacuees started returning to their homes elsewhere in Luzon.
In Metro Manila, only 75 people remain in evacuation centers in Malabon City.
Elsewhere in Central Luzon, 2,625 people were evacuated in Bataan province, 488 in Tarlac, 180 in Zambales, and 81 in Pampanga.
In Southern Luzon, only 500 people in Rosario town, Cavite province remain in evacuation centers.
Early Thursday evening, Malacañang approved the recommendation of the NDCC for elementary and high school classes in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan to remain suspended on Friday.
This was announced by the Office of Civil Defense on verbal instructions from Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
Classes in Metro Manila and nearby provinces will resume.
With a report from Lira D. Fernandez; Originally posted at 10:31am
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