109 towns declare state of calamity due to El Niño

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The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that 109 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

Data from the NDRRMC said that there were 109 localities that have declared a state of calamity, with many of them being in the Cagayan Valley. The number of towns and their locations are:

• Cagayan Valley: 66
• CAR: 2
• CALABARZON: 4
• Bicol Region: 12
• Eastern Visayas: 1
• SOCCSKSARGEN 1
• CARAGA: 23

The NDRRMC said around 451,889 individuals have already been affected by the El Niño. The largest number of people are concentrated in the CARAGA region (291,381).

Citing data from the Department of Agriculture, the NDRRMC has recorded P6.53 billion in production loss.

Around 48,616 families have requested aid, with the government able to respond to 36,275 of them so far, according to the NDRRMC. The cost of this assistance was recorded at P46.47 million.

State weather bureau PAGASA said that there is an ongoing El Niño that is set to further intensify in the coming months.

PAGASA said that the country could anticipate drier weather conditions and fewer rains in the coming months. Temperatures are also expected to rise by at least three degrees Celsius. —Jean Mangaluz/RF, GMA News