SEVENTEEN areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 1 yesterday due to tropical depression “Kristine” which is forecast to make landfall in northern Luzon on Thursday or Friday.
This developed as the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said some 30 million people might be affected by flooding and landslides in several areas in Luzon including Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Kristine was some 760 km east of Catarman in Northern Samar, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
Kristine was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph. It was moving westward at 15 kph.
Under Signal No. 1 were the southeastern portion of Isabela, Aurora, northern and eastern portions of Quezon (including Polillo Islands), Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate (including Ticao Island and Burias Island), Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte (including Siargao-Bucas Grande Group).
Kristine, the country’s 11th tropical cyclone for this year, was a low pressure area earlier monitored in southern Luzon. It intensified into tropical depression on Sunday night, and entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early morning yesterday.
PAGASA, in a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, said Kristine will move west southwestward until today before turning generally west.
“On the track forecast, this tropical cyclone may make landfall over northern Luzon on Thursday evening or Friday morning,” it said.
In a bulletin issued at 11 a.m. yesterday, PAGASA said Kristine may make landfall in the northeastern portion of Cagayan.
“Changes in forecast track is not ruled out, depending on the movement of the weather systems surrounding this tropical cyclone in the next few days,” PAGASA said in its latest bulletin.
PAGASA said Kristine may intensify into a tropical depression within 12 hours from 5 p.m. yesterday.
“It may reach severe tropical storm category on Wednesday and typhoon category on Thursday before making landfall,” PAGASA said.
“Since this tropical cyclone is still over the Philippine Sea, rapid intensification is not ruled out given the favorable environmental conditions,” it added.
POPULATION AT RISK
The OCD said at least 30 million people might be affected by tropical depression Kristine.
“This is a considerable population at risk, and we need all hands on deck to mitigate the impacts of this disaster,” OCD administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said in a statement.
Citing information from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Nepomuceno said the population facing risk of rain-induced floods and landslides are from 18,000 barangays in 10 regions — Central Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, Eastern Visayas, Ilocos, Mimaropa, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Metro Manila.
In Metro Manila, 1,403 barangays in 16 cities and one municipality are vulnerable to floods and landslides, the OCD said. There are 1,710 barangays in Metro Manila.
Nepomuceno said initial estimates projected only a million people will be affected.
“According to the latest forecast from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the number of potential victims has surged to 30 million,” Nepomuceno added.
Nepomuceno urged OCD regional offices to take measures to mitigate the effects of Kristine.
“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 also said.
SEA TRAVEL, TELCOS
The Coast Guard districts in Catanduanes and Camarines Norte have suspended sea travel due to hazards posed by Kristine, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. have prepared their network facilities.
PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. said they have prepositioned personnel, equipment and resources to ensure the resilience of network services, and are prepared to work closely with local government units, provincial and municipal information agencies, and local disaster risk reduction and management offices to ensure continuous connectivity.
PLDT urged everyone in the affected areas to take necessary precautions and follow the advice of local authorities. The companies will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.
Globe Telecom Inc. said its network facilities in areas on the path of the storm are ready with generators and batteries to ensure connectivity services, despite potential commercial power outages due to the weather system.
Globe’s technical and support personnel have also been prepositioned along with critical supplies in case immediate response is needed in areas that may be affected by the storm.
Globe said it is also ready to deploy “Libreng Tawag, Libreng Charging and Libreng WiFi” services in areas where the storm may cause severe power and service outages.
“Our network was built to be resilient to ensure that our services will remain operational despite weather disturbances. In case factors outside our control, such as commercial power outages due to the storm, affect our facilities, our personnel are at hand to undertake immediate restoration work. Rest assured that we’re ready for Kristine’s onslaught,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s chief sustainability and corporate communications officer.
GOODS PREPOSITIONED
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian directed field offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Developments (DSWD), especially in the northern Luzon area, to start preparing for the onslaught of Kristine.
The DSWD Disaster Response Command Center maintained a “blue alert” status which is raised when there is a tropical depression inside the PAR, rainfall is between 15 to 30 millimeters an hour and expected to continue in the next two hours, and if there is a threat of flooding.
Gatchalian met with the officials of the field offices on Sunday to check on the condition and situation of stocks and ensure coordination with local government units.
Gatchalian directed the agency’s National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City to speed up its production of family food packs and for the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group to request assistance from the Philippine Air Force and the Navy in delivering the packs. — With Myla Iglesias and Jocelyn Montemayor
