The country’s disaster agency said floods and landslides which have accompanied continuous heavy rain since last week have killed hundreds of individuals.
The agency said a 39-year-old woman died on Friday within the northern city of Baguio when a tree fell and crushed the taxi she was riding in. Two people were also injured within the accident.
In the northern province of Ilocos Norte, a 35-year-old farmer and a 15-year-old boy were killed by lightning, police said. Three people were also injured consequently of the lightning strike.
A 28-year-old man drowned on Saturday when strong currents swept him away while fishing within the town of Lian in Batangas province, south of Manila, police said.
Rescuers in India are trying to find survivors because the monsoon death toll rises to 127
Rescuers in India are trying to find survivors because the monsoon death toll rises to 127
Relatives took the person to hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival, police added.
Mark Timbal, spokesman for the country’s disaster agency, said a complete of 87,493 people have been affected by severe weather since last week when Typhoon In-Fa hit the northern Philippines.
Although In-Fa didn’t make landfall, it intensified the southwest monsoon, bringing rains to the northern provinces and the Metro Manila capital region.
Timbal said authorities are hopeful that the weather will improve next week, however the country’s disaster agency has issued a reminder that even after the typhoon subsides, there’ll still be a monsoon.
“So let’s not become complacent,” Timbal told Manila radio station DZMM.
As it left the Philippines on Saturday, In-Fa had maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h, with gusts of as much as 170 km/h, in line with the weather office.
The bureau warned of “extensive flooding and rain-induced landslides” attributable to monsoon rains.
An average of 20 tropical cyclones hit the Philippines yearly.
