“Inday” leaves 17 dead, 9 missing

CEBU, Philippines — Typhoon Inday, coupled with monsoon rains in various parts of the country, left at least 17 people dead and nine others missing.

Of the 17 fatalities, 10 were killed in a tragic landslide in Malapatan, Sarangani, on Friday.

Five deaths were reported in Calanogas, Lanao del Sur, while two others occurred in the province of Bukidnon, both allegedly due to drowning.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said nine people remain missing, six in Calanogas, Lanao del Sur, and three in Malapatan, Sarangani.

As of yesterday, none of the reported fatalities had been officially identified, as validation and verification were still ongoing while search and rescue operations continued for those reported missing.

The NDRRMC said Typhoon Inday and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat, affected more than 112,000 families, or over 514,000 people.

Of that number, around 2,900 families, or 11,200 individuals, have been displaced and are temporarily staying in 77 evacuation centers.

Typhoon Inday's heavy rains primarily affected Central Luzon, Western Visayas, the Negros Island Region (NIR), the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Cagayan Valley, MIMAROPA, Northern Mindanao, the Davao Region, SOCCSKSARGEN, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The NDRRMC said heavy rains, flooding, and landslides damaged a total of 153 houses, including 12 that were reported as totally destroyed.

So far, national and local government agencies have provided more than P16.4 million worth of food and non-food assistance to affected families and communities. – Philippine Star News Service (IHM) (CEBU NEWS)