NDRRMC: At least 45 reported dead due to Paeng

At least 45 people were reported dead amid floods and landslides brought by Tropical Storm Paeng, the National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Saturday.

In its situation report as of 2 a.m. on October 29, the NDRRMC said there are at least 31 reported missing and 14 injured due to the storm.

There are a total of 194 flooding incidents recorded, of which 98 were in Region 6, 77 were in Region 5, twelve were in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), six in Region 12, and one in CARAGA.

There are also 33 incidents of landslides reported across the affected regions of Paeng.

The tropical storm affected 49,767 families or 184,161 persons in 336 barangays. Out of the affected population, 2,615 families or 9,737 persons are taking temporary shelter inside evacuation centers while 625 or 2,400 persons are outside evacuation centers.

The NDRRMC reported that 57 roads and 12 bridges are not passable due to the weather disturbance.

A total of 12 cities and municipalities were affected by power interruptions.

Two municipalities were affected by water supply interruption.

A total of five domestic flights and zero international flights were canceled, while 58 seaports were affected by Paeng, the NDRRMC said.

Meanwhile, a total of 280 houses were reported damaged in Region 6, Region 7, Region 11, Region 12, CARAGA, and BARMM.

The NDRRMC reported that the total value of production loss to agriculture amounted to P54.6 million.

In a briefing on Saturday morning, the NDRRMC clarified that there were only 45 reported dead, not 72, while 33 were injured and 18 were missing.

The NDRRMC said there were 40 reported fatalities in BARMM, three were from Region 12, and two were from Region 6.

"There was a certain case of the report that was submitted by BARMM. What they did this morning is to really tally, they validated from other sources, from the barangays and municipalities. It came out, nag-overcount ang report (there was an overcount in the report)," said NDRRMC chair Jose Faustino Jr.

"It's official, they confirmed with us just this morning, and we confirmed it this lunchtime. It's official - at 40 ang casualty ng BARMM (BARMM had 40 casualties)," he added.

Faustino said the casualties from BARMM were mostly due to landslides, while others died due to flooding in the northern portion of Maguindanao.

The NDRRMC reported that as of Saturday morning, 8,247 persons or 2,211 families were taking temporary shelters inside and outside the various evacuation centers.

The agency said 194 areas were still flooded.

A total of 5,585 seaports have suspended operations in CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Regions 5, 6, 8 and 11. Thus, a total of 3,072 passengers, 880 rolling cargos and 73 vessels were stranded at various ports.

Nine local government units have experienced power interruptions while 280 houses were damaged. A total of 347 local government units have suspended classes, and around 105 local government units have suspended work.

Damage to agriculture was estimated at P54.5 million.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 has been raised at 8 a.m. Saturday over the National Capital Region, Camarines Norte; the western portion of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Cabusao, Pasacao, Libmanan, Pamplona); Marinduque; Quezon including Pollilo Islands; Laguna; Batangas; Cavite; and Rizal as Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) crossed the Bondoc Peninsula in southern Quezon, PAGASA said in its advisory.

TCWS No. 2 meanwhile was hoisted over 16 areas, and TCWS No. 1 was raised over 27 areas on Saturday morning.

Paeng made landfall over Buenavista, Quezon at 6 a.m. on Saturday after prior landfalls over Virac, Catanduanes at 1:10 a.m. and Caramoan, Camarines Sur at 1:40 a.m.

It was estimated to be located over the coastal waters of Catanauan, Quezon (13.6 °N, 122.3 °E) and monitored to be moving west northwestward at 30 km/h as of 8 a.m.

Paeng has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 160 km/h. —KG/DVM, GMA News