NDRRMC: 2 dead, 10 hurt due to 'Enteng', 'habagat'

MANILA – Two persons were reported dead while 10 were injured due to the impact of Tropical Storm Enteng and the southwest monsoon (habagat), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Monday.

In its 8 a.m. update, the NDRRMC said the reports of casualties, all from Central Visayas, were being validated.

It added that the bad weather has so far affected 14 families or 63 individuals from three barangays in Central Visayas. Of this number, nine families or 43 persons are being aided in an evacuation center.

The agency also reported the collapse of two structures and one rain-induced landslide in Central Visayas.

Some 739 passengers are reportedly stranded in various ports – 679 in Bicol and 60 in Calabarzon.

A total of 22 ships, four motor bancas, and 282 rolling cargoes stopped to leave the ports in Calabarzon and Bicol due to bad weather.

Around 10 houses were reported damaged in Central Visayas as of this time.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), meanwhile, instructed all regional offices to ensure that advisories and response measures were being effectively disseminated and implemented amid the onslaught of Enteng.

OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno gave this order following a pre-disaster risk assessment meeting Sunday where NDRRMC members tackled the weather forecast, risk assessment results, anticipated needs, and other courses of action.

These include activating emergency preparedness and response protocols that government agencies and LGUs should conduct before and during the storm, elevating the NDRRM Operations Center's alert status to "Red" and mobilizing various response clusters, among other measures.

Under a red alert status, OCD personnel must be on duty 24/7 to respond to calamities.

The OCD also assured close coordination with various government agencies to monitor the situation and ensure the implementation of necessary measures.

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said 434 police personnel have been deployed to key areas in the region to secure communities and assist families affected by weather disturbances.

Some 261 police personnel officers are securing vital installations to maintain order and protect critical infrastructure while another 173 are assisting in traffic management.

"In addition, our Search, Rescue, and Retrieval units, comprising 597 highly trained personnel, are on high alert and ready to respond to any emergencies, including search and rescue operations," Nartatez said in a statement.

He added that the NCRPO is in close coordination with local government units and the NDRRMC to monitor the situation at 575 evacuation centers, where 233 individuals and 75 families are currently taking shelter.

Meanwhile, the Marikina River's water level is at 16.9 meters (second alarm) as of 11 a.m. Monday.

In a radio interview, Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said around 1,617 families or 4,587 individuals were in evacuation centers in the city.

"Yung kaligtasan ang pinaka importante, lalo na yung vulnerable group yung may mga edad na may mga maliliit na bata, may mga sakit, mga bedridden, kababaihan, buntis, ine-encourage na namin sila mag preemptive evacuation. May mga nilaan tayo evacuation para sa kanila pati mga doktor deployed na din natin nang mas maaga pa lang, pati mga gamot sa leptospirosis inihanda na rin natin meron 300 residente nagkaroon ng leptospirosis at dalawa dun nasawi kaya kailangan matuto na tayo at makaiwas sa ganitong pangyayari (Safety is the most important, especially the vulnerable group, the elderly with small children, those with illnesses, those who are bedridden, as well as women and those pregnant. We encourage them to do preemptive evacuation, we have prepared evacuation plans for them. We have also deployed doctors ahead of time. We also prepared medicines for leptospirosis. We previously had 300 residents who fell ill due to leptospirosis and two of them died, so we need to learn and avoid this kind of situation)," he said. (PNA)