18 dead, 64 hurt during Holy Week

A total of 18 people died and 64 more were injured during the Holy Week break, the government's disaster response agency reported Monday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management council's (NDRRMC) 6 a.m. report showed that majority of the fatalities died from drowning.

Majority of the fatalities were recorded in Calabarzon or Region 4-A (six in Batangas and four in Quezon province).

Three of the fatalities died in a vehicular accident in Davao Oriental, where 20 people were also injured.

The NDRRMC report also showed that majority of the total injured victims figured in vehicular accidents.

The NDRRMC said its regional commands alerted all their units and deployed personnel in anticipation of the surge of people travelling to and from the provinces.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police also went on heightened alert during the Holy Week.

Thousands of vacationers are expected to return to Metro Manila on Easter Sunday and Monday.

The Philippine Coast Guard, meanwhile, said that it monitored more than 100,000 passengers in seaports nationwide since Easter Sunday. —ALG, GMA News