Storm leaves 24 dead in PH but will barely be felt in HK

 

Naga City underwater

Tropical Storm Kristine, international name: Trami, blew out of Northern Luzon this afternoon, leaving behind at least 24 dead scattered in a swathe of destruction caused by floods brought by heavy rains it dumped on most of the country.

The storm hit land in Isabela after midnight  today, and has established an east-ward path that aims for Hainan Island and would take it within 800 kilometers south of Hong Kong, which could prompt the Hong Kong Observatory to raise the standby signal No. 1 by 4 a.m. tomorrow.

Kristine started causing damage days before while it was hovering east of Luzon, by drenching Quezon Province and the Bicol region with two months’ worth of rain in 24 hours, and triggering landslides and floods that reached up to the second floor of houses. Lahar from Mayon Volcano cascaded down to lower areas, burying farms and vehicles.

Basahin ang detalye!

More than 2 million people were affected by the storm, including 75,400 villagers who were displaced from their homes and are sheltering on safer ground, according to the government’s disaster-mitigation agency.

A total of 7,674 passengers were stranded in ports nationwide as of this noon as sailings were suspended due to rough seas, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) .

Most of the fatalities were due to drowning in Bicol, where at least 20 people died, including 7 residents in Naga city, and the toll was expected to rise as isolated towns and villages in other areas manage to send out reports, the Associated Press reported.

Relief gods assembled by Angat Buhay

As this developed, rescue efforts have peaked, with non-government organizations like Angat Buhay, headed by former Vice President Leni Robredo, bringing relief goods and hot meals to flood victims as first responders.

In Hong Kong, 26 OFW organizations have joined hands to gather relief goods to be sent to the flood victims in a project they called Relief Operation Tulong #Bagyong Kristine Ph.

They are calling on their members to bring whatever they could donate -- food items, clothing, personal hygiene products, etc. -- to their assembly point in front of Prada on Chater Road, where they would be picked up by LCSN Express Hong Kong Limited which donated door-to-door boxes.

They are also accepting cash donations.

Logos of participating OFW groups

Bicol police chief Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon and other officials said about 1,500 police officers have been deployed for disaster-mitigation work.

“We can’t rescue them all at once because there are so many and we need additional motorboats,” Dizon told AP. “We’re looking for ways to deliver food and water to those who were trapped but could not be evacuated right away.”

Ex-VP Leni Robredo (on the back of the boat) leads relief operations in Naga

The storm will barely be felt in Hong Kong, with the Observatory expecting mainly fine weather tomorrow, with temperature ranging from 23 to 29 degrees, becoming cloudy with showers at night.

It will be windy with a few showers on Saturday and on Sunday. Winds will weaken gradually later on Sunday. Showers are still expected on Monday.

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