TRACKING KRISTINE Aleandra Rivera, weather unit supervisor of the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, checks the general location of Tropical Depression “Kristine” on Monday, as the state weather bureau raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 in at least 17 provinces across the country. —Grig C. Montegrande
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Monday stressed the urgent need to prepare for Tropical Depression Kristine, which has been projected to escalate into a severe storm and could affect “approximately 30 million individuals across multiple regions.”
“According to the latest forecast from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the number of potential victims has surged to 30 million. This is a considerable population at risk, and we need all hands on deck to mitigate the impacts of this disaster,” Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, the OCD administrator, said in a statement.
READ: Kristine can strengthen into super typhoon, says Pagasa
Such a significant increase to 30 million from an earlier estimate of one million highlighted Kristine’s potential to affect a vast population, the OCD said.
Citing data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, 18,000 barangays are at risk of rain-induced landslides and floods, particularly in Central Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Eastern Visayas, Ilocos Region, Mimaropa, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Western Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula.
In Metro Manila, 1,403 barangays are also prone to landslide and flood hazards due to the storm, the OCD said, including those in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Pasay, Pateros, Las Piñas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Taguig, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan and Manila, it said.
Heed the call
The OCD said it has ordered its regional offices to get ready for the storm, as Kristine’s rain bands may bring moderate to heavy rains over the Bicol region, Samar provinces, and other areas starting Tuesday.
“We hope that the vulnerable communities heed our call to make the necessary preparations for Kristine, our 11th tropical cyclone for this year. Please help us in our continued efforts to ensure your safety and survival at all times,” Nepomuceno said, as he reminded the public that the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) should be their primary sources of official weather updates to prevent misinformation.
In Bicol, At least 1,007 passengers, 88 rolling cargo ships, and 19 interisland vessels were stranded on Monday in the ports of Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspended sea travel, Carsaid Gremil Alexis Naz, OCD-Bicol spokesperson.
The PCG in Quezon province also suspended sea travel on Monday afternoon due to rough sea conditions.
The Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council was placed on red alert on Monday to ensure a coordinated response in areas that would be affected by the storm, said Naz.
Since Monday morning, some local governments in Bicol also ordered a “no sailing policy” for fishermen and individuals using small boats and fishing vessels.
Camarines Sur Gov. Vincenzo Renato Luigi Villafuerte ordered the local disaster officials to conduct preemptive evacuation in flood- and landslide-prone communities.
In Eastern Visayas, classes in the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, both in Leyte, were suspended on Monday afternoon to ensure the safety of students.
The PCG also suspended sea travels within Eastern Visayas; from Cebu to Ormoc and Hilongos, both in Leyte; and from Cebu to Calbayog, Samar.
Local governments both on Leyte and Samar islands have also activated their respective disaster response bodies to assist residents who would be affected by Kristine.
Forecast
Kristine was expected to gain strength and intensify into a tropical storm by Tuesday, a severe tropical storm by Wednesday, and reach typhoon category by Thursday before making landfall over northern Luzon on Friday, according to Pagasa.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, Pagasa said Kristine is located 760 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 70 km/h. It was moving westward at the speed of 15 km/h.
Weather specialist Veronica Torres said during an 11:30 a.m. press conference on Monday that while Kristine would mostly affect the eastern portion of Luzon and Visayas, its trough or extension has been affecting almost the entire country.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised over the southeastern portion of Isabela, Aurora, the northern and eastern portions of Quezon, including Pollilo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate, including Ticao Island and Burias Island in Luzon.
Signal No. 1 was also raised over Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and Southern Leyte in the Visayas and Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte, including Siargao—Bucas Grande Group, in Mindanao.
Intense rainfall is expected over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur on Tuesday, while the rest of the Bicol region, Northern Samar, Samar, and Eastern Samar will experience heavy rainfall during the same period.
Cagayan Valley, CAR, the rest of eastern Visayas, Quezon, Romblon, Marinduque, and Aurora will experience moderate to heavy rains on Tuesday. —with reports from Ma. April Mier-Manjares, Clarence Roi Gillego, and Delfin T. Mallari Jr.