THE number of deaths related to Typhoon Inday climbed to 17 on Saturday, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.
The OCD also reported more than 112,000 families have been affected by the typhoon-enhanced southwest monsoon or "habagat."
OCD Deputy Administrator Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said around 2,900 families, or 11,200 individuals, are staying in 77 evacuation centers.
Alejandro said authorities were validating reports of the 17 deaths, four injuries and nine missing persons. Most of the casualties were linked to landslides and drowning incidents in Mindanao.
Ten fatalities were reported in Malapatan, Sarangani; five in Calanogas, Lanao del Sur; and two in Bukidnon.
The severe weather disrupted transportation across the country, with sea travel suspended in 73 ports. More than 300 passengers were stranded.
The OCD said 153 houses were damaged by floods and landslides.
In Calanagas, the body of another landslide victim was found in a river Saturday, raising the death toll in that town to six.
The victim, a woman, was believed to have been swept away by the floodwaters from Calanogas to nearby Malabang town, officials said.
The OCD said that as of Saturday morning, food packs and other relief items worth P16.41 million had been distributed to affected communities.
Response teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and other government agencies were on standby for search, rescue, relief and clearing operations, Alejandro said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Inday (international name: Bavi) exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 8:20 a.m. Saturday.
The storm was tracked 680 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds at 140 km per hour, gusting to 170 kph and moving northwestward at 40 kph.
Most of the country, however, will still experience monsoon rains, Pagasa said.
In Metro Manila, the threat of heavy rains and flooding forced the suspension of classes in the cities of Manila, Marikina, Caloocan, Malabon, and Valenzuela.
Also on Saturday, Philippine Airlines (PAL) canceled several international flights because of stormy conditions.
Canceled were flights from Manila bound for Shanghai, Taipei, Busan, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Narita, Tokyo, and Osaka, and a flight from Cebu to Tokyo.
