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Agaton Kills 40 People, Injures 65

(Updated at 2:16 p.m.) Forty people were reported dead, 65 were injured, and six remain missing in Regions IX, X, XI and CARAGA due to tropical depression Agaton (international name: Lingling), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its latest report issued at 6 a.m. today.

Sixteen landslide incidents, six floodings, and two maritime incidents were also recorded in Regions VIII,IX, X, XI, CARAGA and ARMM.

Of the 153,193 families or 723,517 persons said to have been affected in 781 barangays in 102 municipalities in 15 provinces of Regions X, XI, CARAGA, and ARMM, about 25,495 families or 119,605 persons were reported to have been displaced and served inside 352 evacuation centers.

Considered still not passable were 59 roads and 24 bridges in Regions VIII, X, XI and CARAGA.

Water pipes in Mate, Bacolod Water System, Brgy. Purakan and Brgy. Bosque Linamon in Lanao del Norte were damaged.

Major rivers like the Saug River in Asuncion and Libuganon River in Kapalong, both in Davao del Norte, overflowed.

Irrigation dams in Aragon and Barangay Taytayan in Cateel, Davao Oriental were damaged by floods.

Estimated cost of damages totaled to PhP328,814,336.92, of which PhP125,383,750.00 were for infrastructure and PhP203,430,586.92 were for agriculture damages in Regions X, XI, and CARAGA.

Relief goods provided to affected families amounted to PhP59,368,683.64 from the combined sources of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (Php15,496,848.92), Department of Health (Php647,572.12), and local government units (Php43,224,262.60) in Regions XI and CARAGA.

Class suspension

Classes and government offices are suspended today in the following areas: Compostela Valley (all levels, public and private); Davao City (preschool to high school, private and public); Dinagat Islands (all levels and government offices);  Tandag City, Bayabas, Cantilan, Madrid, Lanuza, Lingig, Agusan del Norte (all levels, public and private); and Butuan City (all levels and government/private offices).

Weather bulletin update

As of 10:00 a.m., Agaton was estimated at 400 km East Southeast of Davao City or at 455 km East of General Santos City (6.3°N, 129.3°E). But by 11 a.m, it has weakened into a Low Pressure Area, lifting all public storm warning signals unless re-intensification occurs, PAGASA said in its latest update.

Expect the LPA to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Davao Region. Sea travel is also risky over the seaboards of Luzon, Visayas, and Caraga Region, the weather bureau said.