DEADLY MONSOON: Landslides, Floods Claim Over a Dozen Lives as Typhoon Inday Intensifies 'Habagat'

Photo: DOST-PAGASA

Relentless monsoon rains amplified by Typhoon Inday (international name: Bavi) have triggered catastrophic landslides and widespread flooding across the Philippines, leaving at least 13 people dead, multiple individuals missing, and millions displaced.

The state weather bureau, PAGASA, warned on Friday, July 10, 2026, that the enhanced Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) will continue to dump heavy to intense rainfall through the weekend, threatening further slope failures and flash floods across western sections of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Mindanao Suffers Fatal Landslides

The heaviest toll was felt in Mindanao, where rain-soaked terrain gave way in the early hours of Friday morning, burying homes while residents slept.

Photo: Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, Inc.

• Sarangani Province: In Malapatan town, a massive landslide engulfed a residential home occupied by two families in Sitio Blisong Fundao, Barangay Poblacion, around 3:00 a.m.. Local authorities confirmed eight people died, while emergency teams continue to search for two missing individuals.
• Lanao del Sur: Roughly an hour earlier, a separate landslide struck Barangay Ngingir in Calanogas, killing five people and leaving six others unaccounted for. The disaster has completely blocked key transport arteries, leaving the affected area inaccessible to rescue vehicles.
• Widespread Disruption: Flooding has submerged the municipal hall of Datu Salibo in Maguindanao del Sur, while emergency responders in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, resorted to using ropes to rescue residents wading through waist-deep waters.

 Metro Manila and Luzon Bracing for Peak Impact

While Typhoon Inday packs maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h and is tracking northwestward near Batanes toward Taiwan, its primary danger to the capital remains its massive pull on the monsoon.

Photo: Manila PIO

By Friday afternoon, torrential downpours had already triggered flash floods across metropolitan hubs. Gutter-to-knee-deep waters were reported along España Boulevard and Taft Avenue in Manila, while half-meter-deep flooding temporarily gridlocked Ortigas Street in Mandaluyong City.

PAGASA has maintained an Orange Rainfall Warning over Metro Manila, Bataan, and Zambales, cautioning that flooding remains an immediate threat to life and property.

Millions Displaced, States of Calamity Declared

According to data consolidated by disaster risk agencies, the compounding effects of recent weather systems have impacted an estimated 3.8 million people nationwide, driving more than 167,000 citizens into temporary evacuation centers.

To expedite the release of emergency relief funds and enforce strict price freezes on basic commodities, at least 84 cities and municipalities have officially declared a State of Calamity. Infrastructure damage across the archipelago is already estimated at ₱3.9 billion, paired with ₱366 million in agricultural losses.

High-Alert Geohazards in Visayas

Further south, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has placed 919 barangays across Western Visayas on high alert for rain-induced landslides.

The province of Antique holds the highest vulnerability with 562 risk-prone villages, followed by Iloilo with 222. Disaster managers have preemptively deployed response units to mountainous sectors as continuous downpours threaten to completely saturate the soil over the next 48 hours.

Local government units across the affected regions—including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Soccsksargen, and Central Luzon—have ordered the total suspension of classes in all public and private schools to keep children off hazardous roads.

13 DEAD, 8 MISSING AS TYPHOON-BOOSTED MONSOON TRIGGERS LETHAL LANDSLIDES, FLOODS IN MINDANAO

0823 - 07112026 | At least 13 people are confirmed dead and eight others remain missing after relentless torrential rains triggered catastrophic landslides and widespread flooding across several regions in Mindanao, disaster management officials reported Saturday morning.

The disaster was unleashed by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), heavily intensified by Typhoon Inday (international name: Bavi). According to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the severe weather has affected nearly 50,000 individuals—representing over 10,000 families—across Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKARGEN, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Landslides Bury Homes in Sarangani and Lanao del Sur

The deadliest incident occurred in Sarangani Province, where a massive landslide tore through Sitio Fandao in Barangay Poblacion, Malapatan. The landslide buried two residential homes, killing at least eight people. Authorities noted a heartbreaking detail: the victims were survivors of a recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the region, leaving them highly vulnerable to secondary disasters. Search operations are still underway for two residents who remain missing in the rubble.

In Lanao del Sur, the mountainous town of Calanogas suffered a similar tragedy. A localized landslide claimed five lives, while rescue teams continue to comb through thick mud and debris for missing individuals.

Meanwhile, in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, a 50-year-old man was swept away and drowned by raging floodwaters. Local authorities are currently validating reports of a second suspected drowning incident in the province.

Infrastructure Collapses, Communities Submerged

The OCD has officially monitored at least 74 heavily flooded areas across the Mindanao landmass. In many low-lying communities, floodwaters quickly rose above head level, forcing families to flee to rooftops before being rescued.

In Maitum, Sarangani, a critical bridge section collapsed under the pressure of raging river currents, completely isolating several barangays and crippling local supply lines.

The situation is equally dire in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte (BARMM). In the municipalities of Talayan and Northern Kabuntalan, major highways were transformed into rivers, forcing residents to transport their belongings via small boats. In Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, flash floods carrying heavy silt and mud caught residents by surprise, inundating schools, businesses, and residential zones.

Weather Outlook and Rescue Efforts

According to the 2:00 AM state weather bureau (PAGASA) bulletin, Typhoon Inday was spotted northeast of Batanes and is projected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) later today.

While weather conditions in Mindanao are expected to gradually improve as the typhoon moves further away, disaster officials warn that the danger is far from over. PAGASA has maintained Heavy Rainfall Warnings over several Mindanao provinces. Months of intermittent rains have left the soil deeply saturated, leaving mountainous terrains highly susceptible to further landslides.

Emergency rescue teams, alongside clearing crews from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), are currently deployed across the affected regions to restore power, clear blocked highways, and distribute relief goods to displaced families in evacuation centers.