The monsoon rains that swamped Luzon in August and early September left a heavy toll across the Philippines. As of September 5, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 43 people dead in the Philippines monsoon floods, including 15 in Benguet, 10 of them killed in landslides in Baguio. The council counted 9,614,020 people, or 2.78 million families, affected across 10 regions.
The habagat (southwest monsoon) rains were made worse by four tropical cyclones in quick succession. Tropical Storm Luis (international name Kujira) made landfall in Isabela on August 1 and again in Ilocos Sur on August 6, and was followed by Maymay, Neneng and Pilandok. In late August, more than 200 millimetres of rain fell on Metro Manila in five hours. Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Central Luzon and Benguet were among the hardest-hit areas.
In the NDRRMC's early-September count, 162,057 people were staying in 820 evacuation centres. The Office of Civil Defense's preliminary estimates put damage at P6.16 billion to infrastructure and P2.32 billion to agriculture, and 117 local governments declared a state of calamity.
The Philippine Red Cross, part of the Red Cross Movement, is responding with support from an IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund operation (MDRPH060). The IFRC has flagged rising cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection often spread through floodwater, as a health concern. More groups that respond to floods are listed in our list of disaster relief organizations.
To support families recovering from the floods, visit the Philippines Monsoon Floods disaster page for ways to donate.
