FOUR people died due to “Opong” in the Bicol region, the regional Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Friday.
The OCD said three of the fatalities were in Masbate, a fallen tree hit one, a collapsed wall hit another, and the third was hit by debris.
The fourth fatality, from Camarines Norte, was hit by lightning.
“As of now, we have four casualties in Region V (Bicol),” OCD-Bicol director Claudio Yucot said in an online press briefing.
OCD Eastern Visayas director Lord Byron Torrecarion said five people are reported missing in the region.
Opong made landfall in Masbate on Friday morning, its second since making its first in Eastern Samar.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Opong may make two more landfalls.
It said Opong made its initial landfall in San Policarpio, Eastern Samar at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, a few hours after intensifying into a typhoon.
It weakened into a severe tropical storm at 2 a.m. Friday and made its second landfall in Milagros, Masbate at 5:30 a.m.
“Opong will continue moving west northwestward and may (make a) landfall or pass close over Romblon and Mindoro provinces within the next 12 hours, before emerging over the West Philippine Sea this afternoon or evening,” the weather bureau said in an 8 a.m. bulletin.
“It is then forecast to exit our Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon,” it added.
As of 7 a.m., Opong was in the coastal waters of Mandaon, Masbate. It is packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 30 kph.
The following areas are under wind Signal No. 3: Sorsogon, Masbate (including Ticao and Burias Islands), Albay, western and southern portions of Camarines Sur, southern portion of Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro (including Lubang Islands), Batangas, southern portion of Laguna, western portion of Northern Samar, western portion of Samar, extreme northern portion of Biliran, northwestern portion of Capiz, northern portion of Aklan and Caluya Islands.
Dozens of other areas are either under Signal No. 2 and 1. These include Metro Manila which is under Signal No. 2.
