‘Kristine’ intensifies, destroys at least 37 Catanduanes houses

‘Kristine’ intensifies, destroys at least 37 Catanduanes houses | Daily Tribune

Tropical storm “Kristine” slightly intensified as it moved across the Philippine Sea on Tuesday.

Carrying winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 90 kph, “Kristine” was last located 390 kilometers east of Daet, Camarines Norte.

The storm was moving west-northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour. It is expected to make landfall in the Aurora-Isabela area on Wednesday evening. It will cross the rugged terrains of Northern Luzon before exiting via the Ilocos Region.

Signal No. 2 is up in Catanduanes as well as the eastern parts of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon. Additionally, the northeastern region of Northern Samar and the northern areas of Eastern Samar are also under Signal No. 2.

Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is in effect in the entire Ilocos Region, Cordillera Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, the remaining areas of the Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas. It is also up in Dinagat Island, Siargao, and Surigao del Norte in Mindanao.

A storm surge advisory is also up in the seaboards of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Catanduanes.

In Catanduanes, at least 37 houses were damaged after tornado-like winds hit a residential area in the town of Caramoran early Tuesday.

In an interview over state-controlled radio station Radyo Pilipinas Virac, local disaster officials said three houses in the coastal area were heavily damaged while 34 were partially damaged.

In Isabela, where most tracks project a landfall, the Magat Dam started to release water in preparation for the storm’s possible heavy rainfall.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) announced that it conducted a pre-release activity at 1 p.m.

As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the water level at Magat Dam was at 182.99 meters, lower than the 183.94 meters that was recorded on Monday night.

Disaster officials reminded residents near the Magat River to remain vigilant for the possible rise of the water level.

In Naga City, the non-government organization Angat Buhay conducted rescue operations and distributed hot meals to evacuees.

DSWD readies relief

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) in areas affected by Tropical Storm Kristine.

On 21 October, DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) held an online meeting with regional directors to discuss disaster preparedness. DRMG Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao confirmed that all necessary measures are in place.

Special Assistant to the Secretary Leo Quintilla reminded field offices to utilize their stockpiles of family food packs (FFPs) and to implement a “first in, first out” policy for moving supplies.

The National Resource Operations Center (NROC) has 176,436 boxes of FFPs ready for distribution.

Regional DSWD offices report holding 94,838 FFPs in Ilocos, 114,381 in Cagayan Valley, and 63,618 in the Cordillera region.

The DSWD has distributed 1,020 FFPs in Itbayat, Batanes, and is sending an additional 575 FFPs to Sabtang. A Philippine Coast Guard vessel is scheduled to deliver more FFPs to Batanes on 27 October.

Canceled flights

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced the cancellation of flights at the Bicol International Airport, Masbate, Virac, Tacloban, Catarman and Calbayog Airports.

Meralco mobilizes team

Meralco has mobilized a standby team to address electricity issues.

The firm’s vice president, Joe R. Zaldarriaga, said crews are available 24/7 as parts of their franchise area are under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1.

He advised the public to follow safety protocols, such as switching off the main power supply and unplugging appliances in flood-prone areas.

Zaldarriaga emphasized having a licensed electrician inspect any flood-damaged equipment before use.

In preparation for potential outages, Meralco urged customers to charge devices and stay updated through public service radio.

The Office of Civil Defense has activated its “Charlie” emergency protocol in seven regions due to the storm, while two regions are under “Bravo” and seven are classified as low risk under the “Alpha” protocol.