The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) identified the fatalities as Francisco Lumanog, 33, of Naguilian, Isabela; Nelson Agriam, 35, and Ernesto Guting, 23, both of Delfin Albano, Isabela; Loreto Ramos of Reina Mercedes, Isabela; two-year-old Elmer Celso of Candaba, Pampanga, and Napoleon Ciscar, 50, of Madella, Quirino.

The victims either died from drowning or hit by fallen trees.

Disaster mitigating teams are still searching for Rosie and Rhea, both surnamed Ciscar, 5, and two respectively, of Madella, Quirino. They were reported missing and are feared dead.

The NDCC said that as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, 411 barangays in Central Luzon, Ilocos, and Cagayan Valley are still flooded.

The NDCC said at that least 106, 457 families composed of 476,027 persons in Tarlac, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, and Quirino have been affected.

Although majority of the displaced families have returned to their houses after the storm had left, 14,502 people are still housed in 16 evacuation centers in Tarlac and Zambales.

The NDCC placed the estimated damage to rice crops in Pampanga to R33,207,318. Damage to infrastructure is still being assessed.

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Flashfloods inundated some towns in Misamis Oriental despite the absence of heavy rains or a typhoon.

This was reported yesterday by residents from the area to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel Jr., who hails from Misamis Oriental.

"The residents reported flashfloods overrunning the highway in the municipalities of Balingasag and Lagonglong in Misamis Oriental although there was no rain. It was supposedly caused by a cyclone that hit the mountains many kilometers away," Pimentel said.

Pimentel said this strange phenomenon may have been caused by abnormal weather conditions due to global warming. "Global warming may be upon us," he said.

The senator asked weather trackers at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to investigate the mysterious flashfloods.

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BUTUAN CITY — One person died in a tornado that destroyed several houses and severely affected 30 families in eight barangays in two towns in Misamis Oriental, sketchy reports reaching the operation and command center of the area command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Francisco I. Simbajon, regional Army spokesman, said disaster teams from the 4th Division, regional police contingent, Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Oro Rescue and Oro Alert teams, social welfare services, and disaster councils were dispatched to conduct rescue and relief operations. (with reports from Mike U. Crismundo)