Kristine onslaught floods roads, communities in parts of PH

The inclement weather brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine submerged roads and damaged infrastructure in several parts of the country, Ivan Mayrina reported Thursday of 24 Oras.

Several houses were damaged and many trees fell in Lemery, Batangas due to the strong winds brought by Kristine as it passed through Luzon on Thursday.

Patients of Batangas Provincial Hospital were transferred to the second floor as floodwater entered its ward and emergency room.

This forced the hospital to not accept new patients.

In the same town, knee-deep floods rendered some roads impassable.

In the coastal municipality of Calatagan, some roads appeared to have been part of the sea due to waist-level floods.

Stranded residents attempted to walk through the rushing waters but were halted by rescuers. They were able to cross the road after a tractor rescued them.

In Barangay Matala, floods reached the first floor of a house. A car was also swept by the water’s strong current.

Electric posts and trees were toppled by strong winds in the town of Lian,, causing debris to block the road. Authorities immediately conducted clearing operations.

Some motorists found it difficult to travel due to floods in Lipa, Batangas.

The Philippine Coast Guard rescued 26 residents, including 15 minors, as they traversed a flooded portion of the Maharlika Highway using a rubber boat.

In Naga City, passengers of a bus were unable to disembark when murky water entered the vehicle. The video uploader said they only ate biscuits from a flooded stall they found floating.

Rescuers in Irigan City found the body of an 11-year-old child who accidentally fell into a canal at the height of the storm.

Equipment and documents of the Commission on Elections offices in Irigan and Albay were also damaged by floodwater.

Children and a senior citizen in a wheelchair were rescued from their flooded homes in Libon, Albay.

The body of a man who was believed to have drowned was also recovered.

In Legazpi City, a jeepney driver died after his Polangui-bound vehicle became entangled with a power line and caught fire.

Almost 3,000 families were affected by flooding in Catanduanes, which was placed under a state of calamity after it incurred over P10 million worth of agricultural damage.

A road in Lopez, Quezon, was almost swallowed by water so deep that trucks found it difficult to pass through.

Some rivers and spillways also overflowed due to the continuous rainfall.

In the island of Boracay, three E-trikes were overturned due to strong winds.

Based on the latest data from the Office of Civil Defense, at least 10 persons have died, two injured and nine others reported missing due to the storm.

The number could increase as rescue and relief operations continue, particularly in the Bicol region which has been hit hard by Kristine.

“Ang challenge pa rin nila doon are the floodings ‘no which are really mataas pa,” said Edgar Posada, Office of the Civil Defense spokesperson.

(The challenge is still the flooding, which is still high.)

The military’s Southern Luzon Command has been deployed to the region, while 17 helicopters and aircraft are ready to be deployed if needed. 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development assured there are enough family food packs and other supplies for distribution to local governments.

It added that it will give financial assistance to those whose houses were damaged.

As of Thursday morning, 27 national roads and bridges are impassable, mostly in the Bicol Region.

The Department of Public Works and Highways said its priority is to reopen these roads so vehicles bringing aid can deliver them to affected areas.

As of 12 p.m., Meralco said almost 400,000 of their customers have no power. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News