FLOODING, LANDSLIDES “HIGHLY LIKELY”
The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 major storms each year that kill hundreds of people and keep vast regions in perpetual poverty.
Scientists have warned that such storms, which also kill livestock and destroy key infrastructure, are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change.
Boats, including wooden outriggers and passenger ferries that provide transport between islands, have been ordered to shore in Luzon and central islands due to gale warnings, stranding more than 11,000 people, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
By midday Wednesday, the storm was expected to have dumped more than 200mm of rain on the islands and the northern portion of Cagayan, including Babuyan islands, as well as Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur provinces.
Heavy rain was also expected across the mountainous northern provinces in the coming days, with flooding and landslides “highly likely”, the weather agency said.
Cagayan provincial disaster officer Ruelie Rapsing told DZBB that emergency food packs had been stored in warehouses.
“The province has been on red alert status since Saturday and all evacuation centres, emergency operation centres of each town, and incident management teams are activated,” he said.
“Cagayanons are used to this.”
Source: CNA
