‘Crising’ makes landfall in Davao del Sur

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical depression “Crising” made landfall Tuesday afternoon over the southern tip of Davao del Sur as it moved in a west northwest direction, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Pagasa also said more areas were placed under storm signal number 1 in Mindanao. These are:

1. Davao del Norte
2. Davao del Sur
3. Samal Island
4. Davao Oriental
5. Compostela Valley
6. southern part of Surigao del Sur
7. Agusan del Sur
8. Bukidnon
9. Lanao del Norte
10. Lanao del Sur
11. North Cotabato
12. Maguindanao
13. Sultan Kudarat
14. South Cotabato
15. Sarangani
16. Misamis Occidental
17. Zamboanga del Norte
18. Zamboanga del Sur
19. Zamboanga Sibugay
20. Tawi-Tawi
21. Basilan
    Sulu

Crising carries maximum winds of 45kph near its center and is seen to move west northwest at 22 kph.

Evacuation

Local authorities on Tuesday urged residents of flood-prone areas in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley to move to safer ground as tropical depression “Crising” made land fall in Davao del Sur.

Gov. Arturo Uy ordered the preemptive evacuation of hundreds of families in Compostela and New Bataan towns in Compostela Valley as the province braced itself for yet another storm in the wake last December’s devastating typhoon Pablo.

Raul Villocino, provincial disaster officer, said local disaster teams have also been put on standby and rubber boats and other rescue equipment dispatched to Compostela town in the event of another flooding.

The town, one of those badly hit by last December’s typhoon, was also devastated by the flooding that affected a large area in southern Mindanao late last month.

In nearby New Bataan, the municipality worst-hit in last year’s deadly weather disturbance, families were again forced to flee to safer ground.

Classes in the elementary level were also suspended in many areas in Compostela Valley, according to officials.

The province of Davao del Norte is also girding for the storm.

Local disaster relief teams in the province were being readied for deployment as the need arises, according to Romulo Tagalo, assistant provincial administrator.

Davao del Norte, including the Island Garden City of Samal, Compostela Valley and 17 other areas in Mindanao have been placed under Storm Signal No. 1, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Tagalo, the Davao del Norte official, said pre-emptive evacuations were now underway in Florida village, in Kapalong town, one of the municipalities affected by last January’s flooding. With a report from Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao