MANILA — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday morning that seven people have died following the landfall of severe tropical storm Kristine in Luzon.
The NDRRMC’s 8 a.m. situational report listed four individuals injured and seven others missing, pending further validation.
Of the seven confirmed fatalities, six were from the Bicol region and one from CALABARZON. All four injuries occurred in the Bicol region, which also accounted for five of the seven missing persons. The Ilocos Region and CALABARZON each reported one missing person.
Severe tropical storm Kristine has affected a total of 2,077,643 individuals, or 431,738 families, according to the NDRRMC. More than 43,000 families, or over 163,000 people, have sought shelter in evacuation centers.
The Bicol region, which was hit hardest by the storm, accounted for the bulk of the affected population, with 1,669,507 individuals. Other impacted areas include the Bangsamoro region with 351,913 people, followed by MIMAROPA with 24,748.
The NDRRMC also reported 17 landslides, 15 of which occurred in the Bicol region. Over 100 cities and municipalities experienced power outages, with 25 already restored. More than 1,000 houses were either partially or totally damaged across Ilocos, Bicol, and the Visayas regions.
Meanwhile, nearly 6,000 passengers were stranded in seaports across regions such as CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol, and Western Visayas.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported 8,786 passengers, 2,725 rolling cargoes, 142 vessels, and 65 motorbancas stranded at 126 ports nationwide.
Two airports, one in MIMAROPA and one in the Bicol region, were also affected.
A state of calamity has been declared in 18 cities and municipalities in the Bicol region due to the storm’s impact. Flooding was reported in 149 areas, with 64 in Bicol, 30 in CALABARZON, and 28 in MIMAROPA.
The government has distributed over P21 million worth of assistance to nearly 5,000 families, with aid yet to fully reach some flood-hit areas in Bicol.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured that government aid would be delivered to affected areas as soon as roads become passable.