Three days after he returned to the country, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. paid a visit to Tacloban and General Santos City to lead the virtual briefing on the current situation in flood-stricken Northern Samar.
Marcos first visited Tacloban, where he held a virtual briefing together with the heads of key agencies, such as the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Defense (DND), and the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
According to the Palace, the President also ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to ensure the safety of the roads in the area to hasten the transport of relief goods.
The local government of Northern Samar on Tuesday declared a state of calamity due to heavy rains that triggered widespread flooding, damaging agriculture and infrastructure.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also recorded one death following a landslide in Pambujan town, Northern Samar.
Weather bureau PAGASA earlier said that Catarman experienced more than a month's worth of rain in just 24 hours, attributing it to the shear line, where cold and warm air converge.
The weather disturbance forced over 24,000 families to evacuate.
Floodwaters were so high that residents were seen clinging to pieces of wood and styrofoam while others were forced to swim to safety amid the presence of electric wires.
During rescue operations, authorities experienced difficulties due to the strong water current.
A state of calamity has already been declared in the province.
The declaration was made after the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) made the recommendation due to the damage to infrastructure and crops caused by the deep floods.
A total of 169 classes and 12 work schedules have been suspended due to the inclement weather.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Thursday, meanwhile, said that a total of 80,358 have been displaced due to the combined effects of shear line and low pressure area.
The NDRRMC said the displaced population was reported in Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas.
Of the total displaced persons, 40,454 of them were staying in 170 evacuation centers while 39,904 were taking shelter in other places.
Marcos also visited General Santos City where several establishments were damaged following a magnitude 6.8 quake that hit Sarangani, Davao Occidental. —Joahna Lei Casilao/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
