Several days of intermittent rains brought about by the prevailing southwest monsoon enhanced by typhoon Fabian triggered flooding in Central Luzon, particularly in Bataan, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Thursday, even as the number of families affected by the bad weather continued to swell across Luzon and in the Visayas.
Rain induced by typhoon Fabian and continuing southwest monsoon triggered floods and landslides over the past days, forcing the evacuation of thousands of families in Southern Tagalog, National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Cordillera Administrative Region and in Region 6.
The NDRRMC said floodwaters as high as up to three feet swamped 18 barangays in Bataan, particularly in the town of Dinalupihan and in the city of Balanga. The flood, however, is beginning to subside as of Thursday.
Several areas in Luzon and in the Visayas have earlier reported similar flooding due to typhoon Fabian, forcing the evacuation of families to high grounds or in government-run shelters.
As of Thursday, the NDRRMC said that at least 684 villages have been affected by the southwest monsoon that was enhanced by Fabian wherein at least 68,342 families or 278,444 individuals were moved out of their homes or were assisted by the government.
The government has put up and maintains 325 evacuation centers for the affected families.
The casualty count, on the other hand, stood officially at four although three other deaths are still being subjected to validation if these are connected with the bad weather.
Four people were also reported injured.