Rains affect more than 1M in 90 Luzon towns, cities - NDRRMC

Rescue workers lift an elderly man into a boat at the height of Tuesday's flooding in Tarlac province. (photo by Dax Simbol, InterAksyon.com)

Tweet

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines -- The number of persons affected by torrential rains and floods throughout Luzon ballooned to over a million in 90 cities and towns, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Wednesday.

Department of Social Welfare and Development records placed the number of affected families at 267,850, or 1,230,813 individuals, in the Ilocos, Central and Southern Luzon regions, and Metro Manila as of 11 p.m. Tuesday, the NDRRMC said.

Of these numbers, 53,258 families, or 242,211 persons, remain in evacuation centers.

The agency said 17 areas in Metro Manila were flooded on Tuesday, with Quezon and Marikina cities suffering the most.

Severe flooding also occurred in Bulacan, Bataan and Pangasinan.

The NDRRMC said at least 11 persons died.

Residents in the following areas are also alerted against possible flooding as the Ipo, Ambuklao, Binga, San Roque dams are still releasing water: San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Sta Maria, Asingan, Villasis, Alcala, Bautista, Rosales and Bayambang; municipalities in Isabela: Ramon, San Mateo, Aurora, Cabanatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Burgos, Naguilian and Gamu; and low-lying areas along the Angat river
in Norzagaray and Hagonoy, Bulacan.

Office of Civil Defense chief Benito Ramos said the agency remains in "rescue mode," with thousands of personnel deployed around Metro Manila to aid residents who may be trapped in their homes.

Ramos said they have also tapped rescuers from the Cagayan Valley and Bicol regions to assist with rescue operations in the capital region.

Follow @interaksyon