Kristine rainfall on Albay more than 2006’s Typhoon Reming — official

Severe Tropical Storm Kristine dumped more rain in Albay than Typhoon Reming, the deadly storm that hit the country in 2006 and impacted the Bicol Region in particular, according to an Albay Public Safety Emergency Management (APSEMO) officer.

Citing data from PAGASA, Dr. Cedric Daep, APSEMO consultant on risk reduction management, said Kristine's rainfall could be "groundbreaking."

“Umabot ng unprecedented rainfall of 500 millimeters. Samantala, yung Reming noong 2006, ay 467 mm,” Daep said in a public briefing.

(Kristine reached an unprecedented rainfall of 500 millimeters of rain. Reming's volume of rainfall in 2006 was 467 mm.)

Reming killed hundreds of people across several provinces in December 2006. Its heavy rainfall  triggered mudslides from Mayon Volcano that buried whole villages.

Daep said aside from the heavy rainfall, Albay is flooded because the river system cannot hold the water from the watershed anymore.

He also reported that lahar flow affected the provinces.

“Maraming lahar, buti hindi na nag overflow para maputol yung kalsada from second to first district,” Daep said.

(There was a lot of lahar but fortunately it did not overflow to cut the road off from the second to the first district.)

PHIVOLCS earlier said it monitored lahar flows in Barangay Masarawag in Guinobatan and Barangay Binitayan in Daraga.

Daep added that as of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, at least 50,000 families in Albay or about 179,000 individuals have been evacuated. 

Two months worth of rain

In Mav Gonzales’ report on ''24 Oras Weekend'' on Saturday, Acting Albay Governor Glenda Bongao said within 24 hours, the province experienced two months worth of rain.

“Nakaranas po ang Albay ng katumbas ng dalawang buwan na pag-ulan, during the rainy season, ‘yan, sa loob lamang ng higit 24 hours ibinagsak po. So, this is record-breaking since 1969,” Bongao said.

(In just over 24 hours, Albay experienced two months' worth of rain during the rainy season. So, this is record-breaking since 1969.)

“Climatologically, normal po na nakukuha ng Albay tuwing October ay 321.9 millimeters, pero yung naranas po nila nung October 22, 431.0 mm. Halos matakpan na 'yung buong Pilipinas dahil sa ulan niya,” PAGASA weather specialist Chenel Dominguez said.

(Climatologically, it is normal for Albay to get 321.9 mm in October, but what they experienced on October 22 was 431.0 mm. The whole Philippines was almost covered in rain clouds.)

In Daet, Camarines Norte, the rain reached 528.5 millimeters in just 24 hours, more than the average rainfall in October in the town.

According to the Office of Civil Defense, the impact of the tropical cyclone was significant even though the government used impact-based forecasting to notify the most affected areas and moved to cancel classes immediately.

Dominguez said La Niña did not cause the record rainfall in Albay.

According to PAGASA, La Niña may begin between October and December.

PAGASA said the country is still in the transition period to the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan season.

“Ang bagyo nabubuo kapag mainit ang hangin, so yung northeasterly windflow natin is malamig na hangin. 'Pag nagkakaroon sila ng interaction, 'yun po humihina 'yung isang bagyo,” Dominguez said.

(A storm is formed if there is warm air. The northeasterly windflow is cold air. If there is an interaction, the storm will weaken.) — BM/VBL, GMA Integrated News