Philippines hit by heavy rains, severe flooding amid series of storms

Manila, July 24 Heavy rain threatened to trigger more severe floods and landslides in the Philippines on Thursday as the country experiences a series of three tropical storms in days, worsening a disaster that has already left up to 12 people dead and over 2.7 million people displaced.

In a report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that a total of 765,869 families, or approximately 2,733,646 people, have been affected nationwide by flooding and landslides due to relentless rain dumped by Tropical Storm Wipha and the enhanced southwest monsoon since last week.

The agency reported that 12 have died and eight remain missing in the wake of Wipha and the monsoon rain. The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days as the agency continues validating fatalities from across the country.

The agency said Wipha and the monsoon caused significant damage to the country. The damage to agriculture amounts to 366.38 million pesos (roughly $6.5 million), encompassing damage to rice, corn, high-value crops, fisheries, and livestock, which affects thousands of farmers and fisherfolk.

Additionally, the damage to infrastructure totals 3.77 billion pesos (approximately $66.5 million).

Even with Wipha's exit from the Philippines on Saturday, the southwest monsoon rain continued to fall due to two tropical storms, Francisco and Co-May, battering the country on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Philippine weather bureau, PAGASA, said on Thursday that Tropical Storm Co-May is expected to move southeastward before turning north-northeastward, possibly passing close to Pangasinan province in the afternoon and making landfall over the Ilocos Region by Thursday night or early Friday.

Co-May may strengthen into a typhoon before landfall, the bureau added.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Francisco continues to head west-northwestward and is expected to exit the Philippines on Thursday afternoon or evening.

The bureau further warned that the enhanced monsoon will likely cause floods, landslides, and other weather-related hazards in affected areas.

Flood warnings are in effect across Metro Manila and its adjoining provinces on Thursday.

Co-May is the fifth tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year.

An average of 20 typhoons lash the Philippines yearly, Xinhua news agency reported.

The archipelago is prone to tropical cyclones, which trigger heavy rains, flooding, and strong winds, resulting in casualties and destruction of crops and properties.

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