Tropical storm Dante, which brought heavy rains that flooded many parts of Visayas and Mindanao, has destroyed at least P268.52 million worth of infrastructure damage to the country, the Department of Public Works and Highways said.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said that 270 equipment assets and 1,569 workers were deployed for the on-going clearing activities.
In an update on Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said two deaths were reported in Davao Region while two other fatalities were from Soccsksargen.
Meanwhile, two were injured while seven are missing — four in Western Visayas, two in Eastern Visayas, and one in Davao Region.
In Region 7 alone, partial cost of damage is at P106.2 million from P95 Million damaged roads and P11.2 Million damaged flood-control structures while in Region 12, partial cost of damage to infrastructure has reached P162.32 Million from flood-control structures.
According to Villar, the department is still clearing three impassable national road sections identified in Cebu, Eastern Samar, and Agusan del Sur Provinces.
In Cebu, the Dalaguete-Mantalongon-Badian Road in Brgy. Ablayan, Dalaguete remains flooded.
A section of the Wright-Taft-Borongan Road in Barangay Binaloan, Taft, Eastern Samar has been closed due to possible landslides.
The Butuan City-Talacogon-Loreto-Veruela-Sta. Josefa Road is also impassable, specifically the Adgawan Bridge in La Paz, Agusan del Sur.
The NDRRMC also reported that affected families are placed at 9,831 or 45,456 individuals residing in 89 barangays in Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.
Of this number, around 3,090 families or 12,071 persons are being sheltered in 104 evacuation centers while the rest are being aided outside.
The onslaught of Dante has also affected 11 roads and three bridges in Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.
Of this, two roads and three bridges in Central Visayas, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen are still not passable.
Meanwhile, the Metro Manila Development Authority is now preparing proactive measures to protect the people from the threat of massive flooding during rainy days.
On Wednesday, MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. inspected the biggest pumping station the Tripa de Gallina in Pasay City and revetment wall at Provident Village in Marikina City.
Abalos gave assurances the Tripa de Gallina pumping station, which is also the oldest in Metro Manila, and all other pumping stations operated by the MMDA were fully operational, with necessary power and fuel in place.
Aside from the regular maintenance of the pumping stations, desilting and dredging of rivers are also regularly conducted to prevent flooding.
Abalos said they were considering putting up garbage nets along rivers and tributaries in Pasay so that trash will not end up at the pumping stations to prevent damage on the pumps.
He also appealed to the public to properly dispose of garbage which usually causes flooding woes.
“Discipline in segregating garbage and proper disposal are keys to fully address the problems brought by floods. We also urge the local government units to strictly enforce the anti-littering ordinances and encourage recycling among residents to lessen the volume of garbage,” Abalos said.
The MMDA chief also visited the ongoing construction of a perimeter retaining wall at Provident Village in Marikina which will help stop the sudden flow of water coming from the Sierra Madre mountain range.
The city is a catch basin of water from Quezon City and province of Rizal, making it a flood-prone area.
“We’ve rebuilt and reinforced the wall to make sure that it can withstand heavy rains and protect the residents from floods which can reach as high as a two-storey house,” he explained.