Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 31) — Several provinces have declared a state of calamity following reports of more fatalities and damage in the aftermath of Typhoon Egay and continuous rains brought the southwest monsoon that is being enhanced by Typhoon Falcon.
Cagayan earlier in the day similarly declared a state of calamity due to damage from Egay as recommended by its Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.
According to the latest situation report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the death toll from Egay has reached 25. Of this number, two were confirmed, one each in Calabarzon and Western Visayas, while 23 are still being verified.
The agency also reported that 20 remain missing and 52 were injured.
The NDRRMC also said 106 areas in the country have declared a state of calamity due to Egay.
Other towns or cities that announced the declaration were Bangar and Luna in La Union; Paombong and Pulilan in Bulacan; and Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.
Meanwhile, in Bulacan, one of the areas greatly affected by rains in the past week, the local government said the situation is already improving in some areas.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ Balitaan, Raul Agustin, operations head of the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said floodwaters are already subsiding in areas like Guiguinto and Balagtas.
However, the high tide coincided with the flooding. This is why floodwaters are still increasing in other areas, he said. Floodwater level is also increasing in Calumpit and Hagonoy because they are the catch basin of the water coming from Pampanga River, he added.
Flooding in some barangays in Calumpit even reached up to six feet, Agustin said.
So far, Agustin said local authorities have recorded four casualties, with one still to be verified.
Egay affected at least 654,837 families, or 2,397,336 individuals, mostly in Central Luzon. At least 3,828 families, or 50,987 individuals, are still staying in evacuation centers, the agency added.
The NDRRMC also reported that 71 roads and three bridges are still not passable, many of which are in Ilocos Region.
Power interruptions are still being experienced in 108 areas mostly in Region 1. There are water service interruptions in two areas, one each in Ilocos Region and Calabarzon.
Communication services in eight areas, mostly in Ilocos Region, have not yet been restored.
On Monday, the Pampanga local government declared province-wide a state of calamity. It said 232 barangays across 15 municipalities were flooded, affecting 144,340 families or 512,722 individuals.
It added that the Pampanga had been battered by heavy rainfall since July 21 due to Egay, and that the province continued to face bad weather caused by Falcon and the enhanced southwest monsoon.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Final Word, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said there are a total of 83 damaged houses while partially damaged houses reached more than 1,500.
The governor, however, said that the province is already bouncing back from the aftermath with roads already passable and water and electricity services stabilized. He adds that evacuees were already permitted to return to their places.
Local governments of Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Cavite, Abra, Mountain Province, and Apayao previously declared a province-wide state of calamity.
