2 weeks Ago By Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo
THE death toll from the combined effects of Southwest Monsoon (habagat) and Tropical Cyclones Ferdie and Gener stood at 20, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NCRRMD) said Wednesday, September 18, 2024. In a situational report, the NDRRMC said of the 20 fatalities due to the weather systems, nine were from Mimaropa, four each from Western Visayas and Bangsamoro region, two from Zamboanga Peninsula, and one from Central Visayas. A total of 14 individuals were also missing, while 11 were injured as six rain-induced landslides, three maritime incidents, two drowning, seven fallen trees, eight destructive winds and two big waves were recorded amid the combined effects of the weather disturbances.
The NDRRMC said a total of 156,524 families or 597,870 persons were affected in 1,178 barangays, in which 16,926 families or 62,995 individuals in 618 barangays were displaced. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far provided over P15.5 million worth of assistance to the affected population.
The NDRRMC also reported that 930 houses incurred either total or partial damage worth more than P1.8 million. Damage to infrastructure was estimated at P2.
4 million. Typhoon Ferdie exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on September 14. It affected portions of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Gener was initially a Low Pressure Area that affected the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas. Both Gener and Ferdie enhanced the habagat, bringing heavy rains in the affected areas. While Gener has already exited the PAR, another weather disturbance, Helen (international name Pulasan), has entered.
Pagasa said that as of 10 a.m., Helen was spotted at 1,060 kilometers east northeast of extreme northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 105 km/h, and central pressure of 994 hPa.
It was moving northwestward at 25 km/h. The Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Gener and Helen is expected to bring strong to gale-force gusts in the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Davao Region within the day until Friday, September 20. “Helen is forecast to move northwestward for the entire forecast period and exit the PAR region this afternoon or evening.
Throughout the forecast period, Helen will remain far from the Philippine landmass and will not directly affect any part of the country,” Pagasa said. “Helen is forecast to remain as a tropical storm and may gradually weaken over the East China Sea,” it added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines).
