‘Jolina’ death toll hits 15; ‘Kiko’ to dump more rains

Ralph Edwin Villanueva - The Philippine Star MANILA, Philippines — At least 15 people are feared dead from the onslaught of Typhoon Jolina, with local authorities scrambling to locate 10 others reported missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday. Meanwhile, Typhoon Kiko will continue to bring heavy rains over northern Luzon even as it moves to exit the Philippine area of responsibility today. Yesterday, the NDRRMC updated reports from the ground that as Jolina spawned floods and landslides in Luzon and the Visayas, 15 people were left dead, 20 injured and 10 remained missing. However, it could only confirm one dead, 16 injured and seven missing as the rest of the casualties are still for validation. Earlier reports noted fishermen who had set out to sea during the storm in Eastern Visayas failed to return. A total of 140,444 people or 37,022 families were adversely affected by the typhoon, which wreaked havoc in 891 affected barangays across southern Luzon and the Visayas, particularly Regions 3, 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6, 8, 12 and Metro Manila. The NDRRMC said a total of 316 houses in Regions 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6 and 8 (Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas) were totally damaged, while 6,259 were partially damaged. It estimated the cost of damage to agriculture at P190.91 million. Typhoon Kiko The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Signal No. 4 of Typhoon Kiko has been raised over the northern portion of Batanes in Itbayat while the rest of Batanes is under Signal No 3. Yesterday at 8:30 a.m., Kiko made landfall over Ivana, Batanes. Later at 4 p.m., it was monitored over the coastal waters of Itbayat with maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph. Today, the entire island cluster of Batanes will continue to experience heavy to intense with at times torrential rains as Kiko moves northeastward toward the sea east of Taiwan. Kiko will also bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga and Benguet. Scattered to widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in high risk areas. Kiko will also continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over Metro Manila, the rest of Ilocos Region and the western sections of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon today, PAGASA said. The NDRRMC said a total of 415 individuals or 120 families in Region 2 were affected by Kiko’s onslaught. For its part, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has prepared personnel and assets for disaster response operations in the north affected by the tropical cyclone. “I have already instructed our police forces in adjacent areas that would not be affected by Kiko to put on standby enough personnel and equipment for immediate response for worse-case scenarios,” said PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. – Romina Cabrera, Emmanuel Tupas