Heavy rains spawned by Typhoon Bising drenched large areas of the Visayas and Bicol region over the weekend, triggering flooding and landslides and the preemptive evacuation of thousands of families.
Power outages were also reported in some of the areas affected by the typhoon, which hit the country as it scramble to deal with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bising, the first typhoon to hit the country this year, forced the preemptive evacuation of 18,467 families, or 68,490 persons, in 67 cities and towns in Regions 5 and 8 as of Monday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
Most of the evacuated individuals were in the areas directly affected and threatened by the typhoon in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Sorsogon in Bicol and in Biliran, Western Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Leyte in Region 8.
Citing reports from its regional disaster offices, the NDRRMC said strong and sustained rains generated flooding in at least 22 villages in Eastern Samar, while similar incidents and even landslides were initially reported in Albay.
Key roads and highways and a bridge were also flooded and have been closed to traffic in Biliran and Eastern Samar.
The NDRRMC said that local power cooperatives also reported power outages in four provinces in Regions 7 and 8, especially Leyte, Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar and a portion of Cebu.
At least 2,213 passengers, 896 rolling cargoes and 61 vessels remained stranded in various ports in Bicol and in Regions 7 and 8, while flights to and from Tacloban City were also canceled on Sunday.
The NDRRMC said it was continuing to monitor situation in the typhoon-affected areas along with the ongoing relief works and even restoration activities.