The new weather disturbance outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) has intensified into a tropical depression, the state weather bureau said Tuesday, as southern Luzon provinces continued to reel from the onslaught of Typhoon "Quinta."
Located 2,125 kilometers east of central Luzon, the storm is likely to enter the country's territory by Wednesday or Thursday and will be given the local name "Rolly," according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
This developed as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday said it is verifying reports that three persons were killed, and that 13 went missing during the onslaught of Typhoon “Quinta.”
All victims died of drowning, said NDRRMC spokesman Mark Cashean Timbal.
Quinta affected a total of 914,709 individuals from 872 barangays in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, southern Tagalog, Bicol region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and the Cordillera Administrative Region, he added.
Timbal said the deaths being verified by the NDRRMC include a 60-year-old woman in Siaton town, Negros Oriental; a man of undetermined age in Bindoy town, also in Negros Oriental, and another unidentified man in Mogpog town, Marinduque.
The 13 missing persons include one crew member of a yacht that sank off Bauan, Batangas; eight fishermen in Catanduanes; a fisherman in Calabanga, Camarines Sur; one person who was swept by a strong current while crossing a river in Odiongan, Romblon; a fisherman in Iloilo and another person in Negros Oriental who was also swept by a strong current while attempting to cross a river.
The eight fishermen missing in Catanduanes were part of the 12 earlier reported missing from Barangay Pananogan, Bato town; Barangay Cagdarao, Panganiban town, and Barangay Poblacion District III, Gigmoto town.
Timbal said four out of the 12 missing fishermen were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard.
However, he added they are still validating reports that another fisherman who is among those missing was earlier rescued.
Timbal said 237,948 families have been affected by the typhoon in the National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
He added that the total evacuated families have reached 22,029 which is equivalent to 77,793 persons staying in 843 evacuation centers in the NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and CAR.
The NDRRMC has yet to determine the estimated cost of agricultural and infrastructure damage from the typhoon.
But the Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office reported Tuesday that damage to crops in at least seven farming towns in Pampanga had reached P39.4 million.
The figure was based on the latest update submitted by the Provincial Agricultural Office (PAO) to the PDRRMO for farmlands alone. No report or damage assessment has yet been made for aquaculture.
PDRRMO officer Angelina Blanco said wide areas of palay farmlands in Candaba town were submerged in flood water that spilled over from the Pampanga River. She said a total of P13.8 million worth of ricelands were ruined by flooding.
"Of the seven farming towns, Candaba was the worst hit municipality,” Blanco said.
Widespread flooding has affected 118,060 individuals in Masantol and Macabebe, both coastal towns in the province fourth district.
Classes and works in the government and private sectors resumed Tuesday as weather conditions improved.
PDRRMO said 47 villages in at least six low-lying areas remained under floodwater in varying degrees
Batangas City on Monday declared a state of calamity that would allow it to tap emergency funds to address Typhoon Quinta's damage.
Batangas City Mayor Beverly Dimacuha, in an executive order, cited damage to agriculture and infrastructure and the destruction of houses that forced more than 300 families to flee.
The entire province of Batangas lost power due to Quinta's strong winds and torrential rains, Gov. Hermilando Mandanas said Monday.
Senator Christopher Go assured Filipinos affected by typhoon Quinta that President Rodrigo Duterte is monitoring the situation and that the whole government machinery is ready to provide emergency response and assistance to typhoon-hit provinces. With Macon Ramos-Araneta
