At least 17 dead due to enhanced southwest monsoon

MANILA, Philippines – At least 17 people died due to drowning and landslides caused by the southwest monsoon or habagat, which is being enhanced by Typhoon Inday (Bavi), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) announced on Saturday, July 11.

The town of Malapatan, Sarangani, recorded 10 deaths. The municipality earlier reported that it had completed its retrieval operations on Saturday morning after recovering the bodies of the last two individuals that had been buried in the landslide in Purok Pandao, Barangay Poblacion.

Malapatan, which reported the highest number of deaths, has so far evacuated a total of 230 families in the affected barangays of Poblacion, Libi, and Sapu Padidu. Two households in Barangay Daan Suyan were “totally damaged” from heavy rains, according to the town’s information office.

Meanwhile, Calanogas, Lanao del Sur, recorded five deaths due to a landslide, while Bukidnon’s two casualties were due to drowning.

There are a total of nine missing individuals: three from Malapatan, Sarangani; and six from Calanogas, Lanao del Sur.

Four injuries due to the landslide have also been recorded: one individual from Torrijos, Marinduque, one individual from Malapatan, Sarangani, and two from Calanogas, Lanao del Sur.

As of this writing, the 17 reported casualties are still being validated.

According to the NDRRMC, at least 514,700 individuals and 112,500 families have been affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon.

While Typhoon Inday (Bavi) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 8:20 am on Saturday, its outer bands are still bringing strong winds and it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat. – with reports from Acor Arceo/Rappler.com