OCD says 30M individuals could be affected by Kristine

Thirty million individuals across multiple regions could be affected by Tropical Depression Kristine, the Office of Civil Defense said Monday.

“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 in a press statement.

Citing information from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Nepomuceno also said more than 18,000 barangays are 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.

In the National Capital Region, a total of 1,403 barangays are also vulnerable to landslide and flood hazards due to Kristine, including areas in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Pasay, Pateros, Las Piñas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Taguig, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, and Manila.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was hoisted over 15 areas as Kristine moved over the Philippine Sea.

The weather bureau said Kristine was located 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.

Kristine is expected to make landfall over Northern Luzon by Friday.

Earlier, government agencies said they are already preparing for the possible effects of Kristine in the country. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News