Torrential rains from Tropical Storm Trami have caused widespread flooding in the eastern Philippines, killing at least 14 people, authorities said Wednesday.
Thousands of people were left stranded in their homes or rooftops as emergency services struggled to respond to a flood of calls for help.
The storm, locally known as “Christine,” is heading toward northeastern provinces, prompting the government to close public schools and offices in Luzon, except for those directly involved in disaster response.
Police Chief Irwin Rebellon announced that at least 12 people were killed in central Naga due to the storm. Two people were also killed in Paranas town, Masbate province and Bagamanoc town, Catanduanes province, the Bicol Regional Civil Defense Office said in a statement.
Authorities have issued storm warnings for more than 20 provinces, including the capital Manila, warning that heavy rain is possible even though they are not in the path of the storm.
Trami had sustained winds of 53 mph on Wednesday, with gusts reaching 105 mph. Its widespread rain band is expected to dump up to 8 inches of rain in some areas, raising fears of landslides and further flooding and prompting calls for rescue boats and trucks.
The storm is expected to make landfall along the Aurora coast Wednesday night or early Thursday, then move through the mountains, valleys and plains of northern Luzon and into the South China Sea later in the week.
Thousands of villagers have already been evacuated from low-lying areas at risk of flooding and landslides, and thousands more are expected to evacuate as the situation worsens during the day.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has canceled all appointments “to focus on coordinating the government’s comprehensive search-and-rescue and relief efforts,” according to Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez, and will be calling military headquarters to discuss disaster mitigation efforts. called an emergency meeting.
“People are still stuck on the roofs of their homes for hours now,” former Vice President Leni Robredo, a Naga City resident, said in a social media post early Wednesday. “Many of our rescue trucks were stranded due to flooding.”
Robredo was hopeful the flooding would subside when the tide was low Wednesday morning.
In Camarines Sur, one of the worst-hit provinces, Congressman Luis Raymundo Villaferte called for state intervention. He said local governments lacked the resources to deal with the scale of the disaster.
“Last night my phone was filled with constant calls and text messages from people pleading, ‘Help me, save me,'” Villafuerte said in an interview on DZRH radio.
“Feeling helpless in the face of such an overwhelming problem is devastating.”
He said there were only 50 rescue boats and at least 200 were needed to respond to all distress calls.
The storm had already affected millions of people in the Philippines by Wednesday, with flooding rapidly rising in many areas. In Quezon province, Governor Angelina Tan said floodwaters reached up to 3 meters in some places, forcing at least 8,000 people to evacuate. As rescue efforts continue, Tan stressed the need for additional rescue personnel and equipment such as boats and trucks that can navigate through the deluge.
The coast guard has been working since Tuesday to rescue people from flooded villages in Sorsogon province, Albay, Camarines Sur. However, state officials acknowledged that the number of available rescue vessels and personnel was insufficient to handle the large number of rescue calls.
Thousands of passengers and cargo workers were stranded in ports after the coast guard suspended inter-island ferry services and banned fishing boats from sailing into increasingly rough seas.
The Philippines is hit by nearly 20 storms and typhoons every year. Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, devastated the central Philippines in 2013, leaving more than 7,300 people dead or missing and more than 5 million displaced. Ta.
The country is also located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, known for frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued a Trami advisory warning of heavy rain and strong winds in Sabah. malay mail Reported.
The storm was detected approximately 1,281 km northeast of Kudat and was expected to affect the region with severe weather.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, it was heading northwest at 19.4 miles per hour, with maximum winds potentially reaching 51.5 miles per hour, the department said.
It warned that the storm could cause severe weather in the South China Sea and Sulu Sea, posing further risks to coastal areas. Residents were urged to remain vigilant and follow the latest information from local authorities as the storm progresses.
Additional reporting by agency.
