Three people have been reported dead in the Bicol Region due to the impact of Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami), according to the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) on Wednesday.
Bicol regional police chief, Police Brigadier General Andre Perez Dizon, also reported that one person is missing, and six others were injured as of 6 a.m.
During a situation briefing with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) confirmed one fatality in Palanas, Masbate, where a person was struck by a falling tree branch. Additionally, seven people were reported missing, including three fishermen in San Fernando, Masbate, and four others in Cebu.
Flooding has severely impacted the region, with 382,302 individuals or 77,910 families affected across Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the Zamboanga Peninsula. Over 12,000 people are currently in evacuation centers.
Severe Flooding and Damages
Floodwaters have engulfed the Central Bicol Bus Terminal in Naga City, Camarines Sur, after heavy rains from the storm. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported widespread flooding, landslides, and a vehicular accident. Fifty-seven homes were damaged, and power outages occurred in 36 areas.
Seaport operations were also halted in 34 locations across the CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol, and Visayas regions, stranding nearly 5,000 passengers. Classes and work schedules were suspended in hundreds of areas.
Kristine’s Path and Intensification
Kristine is expected to make landfall over Isabela on Wednesday evening and is forecasted to cross Northern Luzon, potentially intensifying into a severe tropical storm before landfall. The storm may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday.