Typhoon Inday death toll hits 17, OCD reports as Habagat continues to lash
The combined fury of Typhoon Inday (international name: Bavi) and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat, has claimed at least 17 lives, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported Saturday. Most of the deaths, officials said, were caused by landslides triggered by relentless rains.
OCD Deputy Administrator Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV told Dobol B TV that the fatalities were concentrated in the south. “We have 17 reported dead. Many of them are from Malapatan, Sarangani. There are five from Lanao del Sur in the BARMM, and two from Bukidnon,” he said in Filipino.
Alejandro added that several people remain missing, though those reports are still being verified. The number of injured is relatively low, he noted.
Across the archipelago, some 112,000 families have been directly affected, spanning 404 barangays from Region 2 down to Region 12, including CALABARZON, the Bicol Region, BARMM, and Zamboanga. In evacuation centers, 2,900 families — nearly 11,000 individuals — are sheltering, while another 7,000 families are staying outside but under watch.
The OCD has monitored 32 flooded areas so far, a number expected to climb as the Habagat persists through Monday. “Today it’s heavy in the Visayas, specifically Aklan, then it will rise in Luzon — Regions 4B, 4A, 3, even NCR, up to Zambales, Bataan, and Region 1 — through tomorrow and Monday,” Alejandro warned.
Sea travel and stranded passengers
Seventy-three seaports canceled trips Saturday morning after PAGASA raised a gale warning over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon. Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is up over the northern portion of Batanes (Itbayat), while Signal No. 1 covers the rest of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and northern mainland Cagayan. As a result, 305 passengers and 176 rolling cargoes are stranded.
Class suspensions and infrastructure damage
Alejandro confirmed reports of damaged infrastructure in Mindanao. Meanwhile, 370 local government units have suspended classes to ensure safety.
Government assistance and prepositioned aid
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other agencies have distributed P16.4 million worth of food, non-food items, and financial assistance. Nationwide, P4.7 million worth of family food packs have been prepositioned, and 364,000 ready-to-eat food boxes are on standby.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Philippine Coast Guard are on red alert, with assets already deployed to local government units. “We continue to monitor and provide assistance to LGUs,” Alejandro assured.
For Saturday and Sunday, the OCD is focusing on Mindoro, Aklan, Antique, Palawan, parts of NCR, and Region 4A, where heavy rainfall is expected.
Kanlaon Volcano under watch
Authorities are also closely monitoring Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island after its eruption on July 9. “No one remains in the Permanent Danger Zone,” Alejandro said. Officials are on alert for a possible combination of heavy rains and another eruption, which could trigger ashfall, mudflows, and lahar flows. “So far, there are no reports of lahar movement,” he added, but authorities are ready to assist residents in exposed communities if evacuation becomes necessary.
As the Habagat continues to batter the country, the message from the OCD is clear: vigilance and preparation remain our best defenses.