THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) had warned the public that some 30 million individuals from across the regions stand to be affected by the Tropical Depression Kristine, which carries a huge bandwidth spread across the country.
“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,” OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said.
According to the data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Nepomuceno cited 18,000 villages may experience or is at risk of rain-induced landslides and floods, particularly in Central Visayas, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Eastern Visayas, Ilocos Region, MIMAROPA, Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.
Meanwhile, in the National Capital Region, some 1,403 barangays are also vulnerable to landslide and flood hazards due to Kristine.
Among the areas include Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Pasay, Pateros, Las Piñas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Taguig, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, and Manila.
According to the 11 a.m. bulletin of PAGASA the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was hoisted over 15 areas, including Metro Manila.
It was last recorded at 870 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph, and moving west southwestward at 30 kph.
It is expected to make landfall over Northern Luzon by Friday.
Floods and landslides in Luzon, Visayas
As Tropical Storm Kristine moved closer, several landslides and floods had been reported.
In Apayao a landslide was recorded in Calanasan. It was cleared and is now passable.
Meanwhile, in Oas, Albay, farmers harvested their crops early, as heavy rains and floods poured in Pili, Camarines Sur.
Neck-deep floods had bee tallied in Negros Occidental, with residents rescued and brought to evacuation centers.
But in Tagbilaran, Bohol, people had to walk through floodwaters with some vehicles submerged in flood.
