A violent tropical storm called Kristine by locals has swept through northern parts of the Philippines, killing over 20 people and displacing some 150,000 others from their homes. It crashed across the northeast coast of Luzon, the country’s most populous island, Thursday and unleashed unprecedented rainfall that has led to widespread flooding and landslides.
Probably the worst-hit area is the Bicol Peninsula, where floodwaters made people and their pets retreat into the second floors of their houses. The state weather bureau said Trami brought an entire month’s worth of rainfall in just 24 hours, far exceeding the “normal” fall seen over the last three decades.
Albay Governor Acting Governor Glenda Bonga cannot believe the ferocity of the storm, as she said, “The rains were really severe. We did not expect this.” Powerful winds from the storm have complicated some rescue operations, such as in Bulacan province where a local fisherman is missing after he and his fellow fishermen had to abandon their boat as it sank.
People trapped inside have taken to social media, posting desperate pleas for help as they waited for rescuers. Karen Tabagan, of the flooded municipality of Bato, describes her situation: “Getting scary. Waiting for rescue.”.
Apart from the floods, there are also volcanic mudslides brought by torrential rains in and around active Mount Mayon in the Bicol region. The villagers in the areas claimed that homes and vehicles were half-buried in the lahar, a combination of ash and water.
As the typhoon, carrying winds of up to 95 km/h (59 mph), moves away from the Philippines, warnings abound concerning continued threats in the form of heavy rains, flooding, landslides, and storm surges. At least a dozen domestic flights have been canceled as safety was set aside by chaotic conditions.
Another low pressure area has also been monitored off Bicol, which is expected to eventually develop into a tropical depression later this week, bringing more anxiety to those already affected areas.
Typhoons are actually one of the country’s average intakes through the year, happening with four of them annually but storms witnessed in the recent past have transcended towards more destructive tendencies with it bringing stronger winds and heavier rainfall.