Central Luzon flooding to last for 3 more days — NDRRMC

Flooding in Central Luzon areas affected by Typhoon Pedring may take three more days before subsiding, the head National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Sunday. “This may take two or three more days," said NDRRMC executive director and concurrent Office of Civil Defense administrator Benito Ramos, who conducted an ocular inspection of the affected areas earlier in the day. “The weather condition has improved, but the problem is compounded by the high tide, causing the slow receding of the floodwaters," Ramos added. As of Sunday night, the towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy in Bulacan province; and Apalit, Lubao, Minalin, Sasmuan, and Candaba all in Pampanga were still flooded. The flooding was worsened when authorities ordered the release of water from dams in anticipation of typhoon Quiel last Saturday. Meanwhile, the death toll from Typhoon Pedring rose to 55 while the estimated damage to property breached the P8-billion mark Sunday evening, according to the NDRRMC's 6 p.m. update. The NDRRMC recorded 65 injured and 28 missing; and 72 bridge and road sections still impassable. Among the latest fatalities were: