Falling tree injures 2 motorists in Sorsogon City as storm whips Bicolandia

LEGAZPI CITY — Two motorists were injured when an uprooted Acacia tree fell on the road in Sorsogon City due to strong winds and heavy rains brought by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae).

Louie Mendoza Jr., head of municipal disaster risk reduction and management office of Sorsogon City, said Christopher Duka was critically injured while Aldrin John Cruz was also wounded but is in stable condition.

Mendoza said the tree, which was located at a creek in Barangay (village) San Roque in Bacon District, was uprooted at around 8:34 p.m. after the soil around it softened due to continuous rains.

Disaster officials immediately conducted clearing operations in the area.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, said the center of Paeng was located in the vicinity of Siruma, Camarines Sur, the neighboring province of Quezon.

The storm has maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 had been raised over Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Libmanan, Cabusao, Magarao, Calabanga, Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Tigaon, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Saglay, Ocampo, Pili, Bombon, Naga City, Del Gallego, Canaman, Camaligan, Milaor, Gainza, Pamplona), and the northern and eastern portions of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Calauag, Quezon, Lopez, Gumaca, Plaridel, Atimonan, Mauban, Perez, Alabat, Real, Infanta, General Nakar, Sampaloc) including Pollilo Islands.

The rest of Quezon is under signal number 2.

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