26 Dead, 14 Missing as Typhoon Inday, Habagat Trigger Deadly Mudslides and Floods

The reported death toll from the combined onslaught of Typhoon Inday (international name: Bavi) and the enhanced southwest monsoon (Habagat) has risen to 26, according to the latest national situational update released by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

The torrential rains and severe weather conditions triggered widespread flash floods and devastating landslides across the southern and western portions of the archipelago, leaving approximately 1,000,000 individuals (244,000 families) affected nationwide. Disaster response agencies maintain a high alert status as search, rescue, and retrieval operations continue for 14 individuals who remain missing.

Regional Casualties and Severe Impact

Disaster officials reported that the vast majority of the fatalities were caused by drowning or being buried under heavy mud and debris fields. The casualities are heavily concentrated across six regions, primarily in Mindanao and parts of the Visayas:

• Sarangani Province: Hardest hit by the weather system, recording 10 fatalities. Severe flash flooding in Malapatan, Sarangani was exacerbated by the overflowing of an artificial lake and an earthquake-induced natural dam.
• Lanao del Sur: Recorded 7 fatalities and four missing individuals following intense landslides in mountainous terrain.
• Davao Occidental: Confirmed 4 fatalities, where flash floods swept away several coastal and riverside residential homes.
• Bukidnon: Logged 2 fatalities, including a validated incident involving a 70-year-old man who drowned in Quezon, Bukidnon.
• Zamboanga Sibugay: Confirmed 2 fatalities due to flooding.
• Iloilo: Reported 1 fatality.

Additionally, 9 individuals have been sustained injuries across Benguet, Marinduque, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, and Maguindanao del Norte.

Widespread Displacement and Humanitarian Response

The continuous downpour has forced thousands of families out of their homes. According to the disaster management report, more than 5,000 families are currently seeking temporary refuge inside 86 operational evacuation centers heavily concentrated in the Bangsamoro region, Soccsksargen, and Western Visayas. Thousands of other displaced residents are staying with relatives or in makeshift shelters.

Local government units describe a challenging situation in heavily impacted areas like Sarangani, where vital lifelines have been disrupted. Evacuees are actively appealing for construction materials to rebuild heavily damaged or totally destroyed structures, as well as immediate access to clean drinking water and stable power supplies.

To aid the affected population, the national government alongside local authorities has distributed food packs, medical supplies, and non-food relief assets amounting to ₱73 million.

Infrastructure and Material Damage

Beyond the human toll, the storm system caused localized destruction to property and critical utility networks. Preliminary monitoring indicates that roughly 650 houses have been damaged or reduced to rubble. The heavy weather forced localized class suspensions, closed down multiple impassable secondary roads, and triggered temporary power outages across regional sectors. Full damage assessments for agriculture and public infrastructure are still being consolidated by regional field offices as floodwaters begin to recede.

Disaster officials continue to caution communities living in flood-prone lowlands and near unstable mountain slopes to monitor local weather advisories closely, as intermittent monsoon rains remain a persistent threat.