The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) began relief operations in areas in Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao on Sunday which have been affected by nonstop rains due to a shear line.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Sunday night that five persons were reported missing in Northern Samar and one in Leyte.

Upon the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., DSWD field offices in Regions VIII (Eastern Visayas) and X (Northern Mindanao) have started distributing family food packs to residents in affected areas in Eastern Samar, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin and Bukidnon.

Eastern Visayas regional DSWD director Grace Subon said a total of 32,458 individuals were affected by the flooding in six towns in Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Oras, Arteche, Mercedes, Taft, Giporlos) over the holiday weekend.

Subong said they have been coordinating with the municipal governments for the distribution of the relief goods, which started Sunday and will continue on Monday.

Subong said they have available 45,000 food packs and P10 million in standby funds.

Northern Mindanao regional DSWD director Ramel Jamen said they have also started distributing food and non-food relief items to over 9,342 families or 45,687 individuals in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin and Bukidnon.

Of those affected, Jamen said 9,256 families or 45,242 individuals remained in evacuation centers as of 3 pm. Sunday.

Fernando Vicente Dy, head of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, told dzBB that many towns in the province are flooded and one landslide was reported.

While only over 12,000 family food packs were available in their field office, he said they have immediately requested augmentation of the family food packs from neighboring regional offices.

Jamen added they have P7.3 million in standby funds for relief operations.  DMS