Bicol region on red alert as Tropical Depression Kristine looms

INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines – The Bicol region was placed on red alert status (Charlie’ protocol) on Monday by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) due to Tropical Depression (TD) Kristine, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.

The Charlie protocol signifies the highest state of emergency preparedness, necessitating immediate action from both the RDRRMC and Local DRRMCs to protect communities and ensure an effective and timely response,” the OCD said in a statement.

“The response clusters of the RDRRMC have been activated, including the Health Cluster, Food and Non-Food Items, Camp Coordination and Management, Emergency Telecommunications, Law and Order, Logistics, Search, Rescue, and Retrieval, Debris Clearing, Strategic Communication, Early Recovery, and Management of the Dead and the Missing,” OCD added.

The OCD said that it also directed regional offices to heighten preparedness as Kristine is expected to bring moderate to heavy rain to Bicol, Samar, and other areas starting Tuesday.

Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, the OCD administrator, also urged communities “to make the necessary preparations for Kristine.”

Kristine entered the Philippine area of responsibility early Monday morning and is expected to make landfall in Northern Luzon on Friday, October 25.

It was also forecast “to intensify into a tropical storm in the next 12 hours” and may intensify into a typhoon category by Thursday or Friday.

Pagasa raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 over the following areas:

Luzon

• Catanduanes
• Masbate, including Ticao Island and Burias Island
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Camarines Norte<
• Eastern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, San Narciso, San Andres)

Visayas

• Eastern Samar
• Northern Samar
• Samar
• Leyte
• Biliran
• Southern Leyte

Mindanao

• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte, including Siargao-Bucas Grande Group