3 reported dead, 4 hurt due to Florita —NDRRMC

Three people were reported killed while four others were injured due to Severe Tropical Storm Florita, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday.

In its 8 a.m. situational report on Florita's effects, the NDRRMC said one fatality and one injured from Region 5 (Bicol Region) are still being verified.

The two confirmed fatalities, on the other hand, are from Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Florita, which exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday morning, affected 11,953 families or 47,169 persons in five regions.

The cyclone also left 10,355 persons displaced, most of them staying inside 129 evacuation centers. A total of 1,013 persons from Region 2, CAR were also pre-emptively evacuated.

Due to 15 ports that were non-operational or have suspended trips due to Florita, 51 passengers, seven rolling cargoes, seven vessels, and 11 motor bancas were stranded in Calabarzon.

Of the 15 ports, 10 have already resumed operations, the NDRRMC said.

Meanwhile, the NDRRMC reported 61 cyclone-related incidents, most of them flooding, in Region 1, 2, Calabarzon, 5 and CAR.

The cyclone also left 30 houses damaged — 26 partially and four totally.

The NDRRMC said 422 cities/municipalities suspended classes and 169 cities/municipalities suspended work due to Florita.

As of Thursday morning, a total of P4,8567,078.48 worth of assistance — including family and hygiene kits, as well as food packs and tents — have been given to the affected communities, most of them from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. —KBK, GMA News