The reported death toll from the torrential rains and floods caused by the shear line in many parts of the country has climbed to 44, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Friday.
The NDRRMC said 13 deaths have been confirmed—four from the Davao region and three each from the Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Caraga regions.
The remaining 31 deaths are still being validated—24 from Northern Mindanao, six from Bicol, and one from Zamboanga Peninsula.
Of the 12 reported injured, two have been confirmed—one each from Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao region—while 10 from Northern Mindanao are still being verified.
About 28 missing persons were also reported.
Of the number, three have been confirmed—two from Eastern Visayas and one from the Ilocos region.
Meanwhile, the remaining 25 are undergoing validation—12 from Bicol, 10 from Eastern Visayas, two from Northern Mindanao, and one from Western Visayas.
A total of 4,522 houses were reported damaged in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao region, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The figure includes 3,679 “partially damaged” houses and 843 “totally damaged” houses.
A total of 131,028 families or 509,340 persons were affected.
Some 4,604 families or 15,800 individuals are being sheltered in 151 evacuation centers with the rest having returned home or being aided by relatives and friends.
The damage to agriculture and infrastructure has been placed at P234.78 million and P1.13 billion, respectively.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila has donated P1 million for the victims of flash floods in Mindanao.
“Help is on the way to our friends in flood affected areas,” Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said.
The Chinese envoy revealed that the embassy partnered with a foundation to extend support and hoped that the help would reach the beneficiaries soon.
“We are sparing no effort to organize the relief operations around theclock,” Huang said.
“By working together hand-in-hand, China and the Philippines can overcome any hurdle,” the envoy added.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) dispatched a special team to provide assistance to communities in Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental affected by the heavy flooding caused by a shear line in Mindanao.
MMDA general manager Procopio Lipana said the contingent, composed of 16 men from the Public Safety Division and Road Emergency Group, have been tasked to conduct humanitarian and relief operations to affectedcommunities in the said provinces.
“Their main task is to set up water filtration systems in communities with limited or no supply of clean and potable water,” Lipana said.
The team brought with them 20 units of water purifier systems which have the capacity of filtering 180 gallons of water per hour.
They were tasked to coordinate with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council upon arrival at the Laguindingan
Airport, Misamis Oriental and stay in Misamis for a eight days.
During the Christmas weekend, the shear line—where warm and cold winds converge—caused heavy rains in the southern parts of the country that resulted in massive flooding and landslides.
The MMDA previously deployed teams to Maguindanao, Tacloban, and Leyte, and other provinces also to assist in disaster response operations.
The weather bureau said cloudy skies and rain would prevail over partsof Northern and Central
Luzon due to a shear line and the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan.
Cagayan and Isabela would experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms due to the shear line.
Flash floods or landslides due to moderate to at times heavy rains may occur in these areas, the weather bureau warned.
Apayao, Kalinga, and the rest of the Cagayan Valley would be cloudy with rain due to the Amihan, with possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to, at times, heavy rain.
The Ilocos Region and the rest of the Cordillera Administrative Region will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with light rain.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms with possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.