More than 353,000 individuals or 96,012 families across four regions have been affected by the El Niño phenomenon, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Based on the latest bulletin of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the affected areas include Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, and Caraga.

More than 202,000 farmers and fisherfolk have been affected, while over 226,000 hectares of agricultural land have reportedly suffered damage.

Caraga was the latest region to record El Niño impacts, with extreme heat and water shortages reported particularly in Dinagat Islands and Butuan City. Four localities in the region currently have no regular water supply, while 39 grass fire incidents have also been recorded.