Authorities: Floods death toll now 60; eastern Luzon, Visayas under threat

(Updated 8:00 a.m.) The death toll from floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in past weeks went up to 60 Thursday, even as state weather forecasters warned flash floods and landslides threaten eastern parts of Luzon and the Visayas. In its 6 a.m. update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council identified the latest fatality as fisherman Bunoy Pera, 40, of Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte. The NDRRMC said the victim died due to drowning. Another fisherman, Benjamin Pisit of Mercedes, Camarines Norte, was also reported missing. At least 27 remained missing as of Thursday, the NDRRMC added. On the other hand, 10 were reported injured due to floods and landslides in affected areas. The NDRRMC said the floods have affected at least 347,744 families or 1,773,331 people in 1,946 villages in 173 towns and 17 cities in 25 provinces. Some 12,253 families or 60,146 people are being served inside 72 evacuation centers. At least 484 houses were destroyed while 2,279 houses were damaged. Floods, landslides threat Flash floods and landslides from a northeast monsoon and a wind convergence threaten Eastern Luzon and Eastern Visayas, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Thursday. PAGASA said the northeast monsoon is prevailing over Northern Luzon while the wind convergence is affecting Central and Southern Luzon. "Luzon, Visayas and Eastern Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Eastern Luzon and Eastern Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, it added. — LBG, GMANews.TV