Manila mounts rescue effort in flood-hit areas

Manila: The government has mobilised resources for some 22,000 flood-hit families in the northeastern province of Cagayan and Isabela.

According to deputy presidential spokesman Dr Anthony Golez Jr, President Gloria Arroyo has directed the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), the social welfare department and other agencies concerned to assist flash flood victims in the two provinces.

Arroyo issued the order to provide assistance to the two provinces after being appraised of the situation over phone. Arroyo is attending the 16th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru.

Golez, who is also deputy director of the NDCC, said two persons, both from Cagayan province, were reported to have died in the flash floods.

He said the president is getting a regular updates of the situation in the two northern Luzon provinces, which have been hit hardest by heavy rains over the past few days.

Golez said 18 towns were affected badly. The towns were not immediately identified.

"The number of families affected by flash flood resulting from heavy rains have already reached 22,575 in 18 municipalities," he said.

Monsoon rains since Friday have rendered large areas of what is considered as the Philippines' rice granary, the Cagayan Valley region, under several feet of water, disaster management officials said.

Golez said evacuation centres have already been set up in five Cagayan municipalities.

Damage to agriculture has reached 14 million pesos (Dh1.03 million), Golez said, adding that the NDCC already has released 800 sacks of rice to assist flood victims in the two provinces.

Aside from the NDCC and social welfare department, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are also involved in rescue and relief.