Widespread flooding and severe landslides triggered by the combined forces of Tropical Cyclones “Luis” and “Maymay” alongside the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) have pushed 47 cities and municipalities across the Philippines to declare a state of calamity.
Data released by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Friday, August 14, reveals a harrowing toll: the recent string of weather disturbances has swept through 3,768 barangays across 10 regions, affecting over 1.25 million families—or roughly 4.34 million individuals.
The hardest-hit areas span Luzon and parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, including CAR, Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 9, and the National Capital Region.
Emergency shelters are currently struggling to keep pace with the displacement. The OCD reported that 52,087 individuals (14,605 families) are taking refuge inside 533 evacuation centers nationwide, while another 50,515 persons (13,725 families) are receiving disaster relief outside formal evacuation facilities.
Of the 47 localities under a state of calamity, Luzon bears the brunt:
- Region 3 (Central Luzon): 22 areas, including Calumpit, Bulacan, and the entire province of Pampanga (covering 21 cities and municipalities).
- Region 4A (Calabarzon): 24 areas, including Rodriguez, Rizal, and 23 localities across Cavite.
- Region 1 (Ilocos Region): Dagupan City in Pangasinan.
Casualties and Destruction
The relentless downpours have claimed 21 lives, left 17 injured, and three individuals missing.
Landslides in the Cordillera Administrative Region accounted for 15 deaths—all in Benguet province, with Baguio City recording 10 fatalities, Atok logging three, and La Trinidad reporting two. Calabarzon recorded six fatalities: three in Rizal due to a rockslide in Rodriguez and a fallen tree in Antipolo, and three in Batangas from drowning, electrocution, and a landslide.
Injuries were primarily caused by landslides, strong currents, and falling debris, with 14 recorded in CAR, two in Calabarzon, and one in Ilocos Sur. Meanwhile, search and rescue operations continue for three missing residents in Pangasinan, Batangas, and Quezon.