SAFER GROUNDS. A family stays inside an evacuation tent at the Nangka Elementary School in Marikina City on Saturday (July 24, 2021). About 3,400 families sought shelter in 29 evacuation centers in the city as monsoon rains caused the Marikina River to swell. (Photo courtesy of Mike Rogas, Radyo Pilipinas)
MANILA – The number of families evacuated in Marikina due to incessant rains brought by the southwest monsoon has climbed to 3,411, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Saturday.
In an update, NDRRMC deputy spokesperson Mark Cashean Timbal said this is equivalent to 14,892 individuals sheltered in 29 evacuation centers in the city.
The water level of the Marikina River has decreased to 15.5 meters as of 3 p.m., prompting authorities to downgrade it to Alert Level 1.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said about 1,064 police personnel have been deployed to assist in relief operations for persons displaced by extreme weather conditions in the Cordillera, Central Luzon, and Mimaropa regions.
In a statement, PNP Chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, said these police personnel were sent to 132 evacuation centers across Luzon that are temporarily housing 1,755 families composed of 5,858 individuals.
Eleazar said national and regional police units with disaster response capability were also mobilized to coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management officials for possible deployment of police personnel and resources to areas affected by flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon.
He also alerted the PNP Battle Staff to muster police food bank resources to augment national and local government support to the evacuees. (with Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
