66 died in Philippines due to monsoon rains

MANILA - Death toll in the Philippines due to floods brought by monsoon rains has climbed to 66, while nine others were still missing, a senior government official said on Saturday.

Residents use an improvised raft, made of styrofoam, to cross floodwaters at Dampalit town in Malabon city, north of Manila August 11, 2012. The death toll in nearly two weeks of steady monsoon rains in the Philippine capital and nearby provinces had climbed to more than 100 people, while more than two million people were affected by the worst flooding in three years, disaster officials said. [Photo/Agencies]

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos said that 47 of those who died drowned, 11 were victims of landslides, four due to electrocution, two were cardiac arrests, one due to fallen trees, and one was undetermined.

Nearly 600,000 families or about 2.68 million people, who came from 16 provinces, including Metro Manila, were affected by flooding, he said, adding that of those affected, over 158,000 families or more than 757,000 people were being served inside and outside the evacuation centers.

The total cost of damage to infrastructure and agriculture in areas affected by monsoon rains reached 157.58 million pesos ($3.77 million), Ramos said.