PCG has rescued 15,000 amid Kristine, spokesman says

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said its personnel has rescued more than 15,000 people amid the impact of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).

PCG spokesperson Commodore Algier Ricafrente said most of the rescue operations are concentrated in the Bicol Region and Batangas.

"Mahigit 200 mga personnel natin ay naka-deploy at kasama na rin dito ang augmentation natin from our Coast Guard District Batangas," he said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.

(More than 200 of our personnel are deployed and this also includes our augmentation from our Coast Guard District Batangas.)

"Kaya base sa pinakahuling tala natin, umabot na sa mahigit 15,000 indibidwal ang na-rescue ng Philippine Coast Guard alone in collaboration with the local government unit," he added.

(So based on our latest records, the Philippine Coast Guard, in collaboration with the local government unit, has rescued more than 15,000 individuals.)

Meanwhile, the PCG also reported that it retrieved three bodies that were trapped in houses in Albay amid the massive floods. Two of the remains were recovered in Sitio Libas, Barangay Maguiron in Guinobatan town, while the third body was in Zone 5, Libon.

According to the data of the Police Regional Office 5 on Thursday morning, a total of 20 fatalities were reported in Bicol Region amid Kristine's onslaught.

Of the 2,077,643 affected population in the country, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 163,184 people or 43,463 families were staying in evacuation centers while 32,877 people or 8,003 families were taking shelter in other places.

In its 2 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Kristine continued to move away from the Philippine landmass, with four areas in Luzon still under Signal No. 3.

These areas are Benguet, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. Winds of greater than 89 kph up to 117 kph may be expected in these areas in the next 18 hours.

Kristine was expected to move westward or west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday afternoon.  

However, PAGASA said, "In the extended outlook, there is a developing forecast situation wherein Kristine will be looping over the West Philippine Sea on Sunday and Monday and move eastward or east northwestward towards the general direction of the PAR region." — VDV, GMA Integrated News