Dante leaves PAR; death toll hits 9

MANILA, Philippines — The death toll due to Tropical Storm Dante climbed to nine as the weather disturbance left the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) yesterday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said three persons from Calubian, Leyte were added to the list of casualties.

The latest fatalities are two boys, aged two and seven, and a 51-year old woman. The three were earlier reported missing.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing for a man in his 40s, a resident of Maco, Davao de Oro.

The NDRRMC said 22,839 families or 93,683 people were affected by the storm in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Davao, Soccsksargen and Caraga.

At least 732 families or 2,753 persons remain in 50 evacuation centers.

Damage to agriculture was initially pegged at P86.1 million in all the affected regions.

In Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Soccsksargen and Caraga, damage to infrastructure was estimated at P53.7 million.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Dante exited PAR at about 9:30 a.m. yesterday.

The storm left the country  on Friday, but reentered at about 4 p.m. on the same day.

Dante was estimated at 600 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 10 a.m. yesterday.

It was moving northeast at 35 kms per hour.

The weather system was forecast to transition into an extratropical cyclone over the East China Sea.

PAGASA said Dante could still bring moderate to rough seas over the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon.

Small seacraft were advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea.

Dante is the fourth tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.

The state weather bureau said up to 15 cyclones would enter or develop in the country from this month up to November.