Floods hit the Central Philippines

Thousands of residents of Bicol, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas Regions in the Philippines have been struck by a second spate of flooding in a week. At the start of the new year, flooding in these regions left 3 dead and 3 missing.
The Philippines’ Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), part of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported further flooding in Negros Occidental Province of Western Visayas Region from 08 January.

DROMIC said low-lying areas of Silay City, Victorias City, Sagay City, Cadiz City and E.B. Magalona were all badly hit after heavy rain brought by the tail-end of a frontal system.

As of 10 January, 37,830 people from 7,640 families are affected. Around 185 people were evacuated in E.B. Magalona. A total of 11 houses were destroyed and 49 damaged. Media reported that 1 person died as a result of house collapse.

Floods and landslides were also reported in Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar provinces in Eastern Visayas, leading to a small number of evacuations. No fatalities were reported.

In Bicol Region, days of heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslides in Sorsogon and Catanduanes provinces.