MANILA - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Sunday it has started its relief operations in Visayas and Mindanao provinces affected by flooding due to a shear line.

The DSWD field offices in Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao, upon the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., have started distributing food packs to residents in affected areas in Eastern Samar, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin and Bukidnon.

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According to Region VII Director Grace Subon, a total of 32,458 individuals were affected by flooding in the towns of Jipapad, Oras, Arteche, Mercedes, Taft and Giporlos in Eastern Samar over the weekend.

The DSWD has coordinated with the municipal governments for the distribution of relief goods, Subon said.

She said their office has 45,000 available food packs and P10 million in standby funds.

Meanwhile, Region X 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.

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

Jamen said they have requested additional food packs from neighboring regional offices, and have P7.3 million standby funds available for their relief operations.

Authorities said two people died while six others were rescued in Southern Leyte after their fishing boat capsized on Sunday, Christmas Day, as parts of the Visayas and Mindanao experienced heavy rains and strong waves.

The northeast monsoon or amihan affected several coastal areas in the Visayas and Mindanao on Christmas weekend, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

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