President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assured the public that both local and national governments are fully mobilized to protect lives and provide relief as the country braces for a series of typhoons.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2024 Welcome Reception in Parañaque City, President Marcos said equipment and relief supplies have been strategically prepositioned, enabling response teams to act swiftly once storm conditions permit.
He also acknowledged the complex challenges posed by the rapid succession of storms.
Tropical storm “Ofel” slightly intensified while moving northwestward over the Philippine Sea as tropical cyclone “Nika” left the Philippine Area of Responsibility around 2 p.m. Tuesday, the state weather bureau said.
Fresh weather warnings on Tuesday as “Ofel” – the fifth major storm in three weeks – bore down on the archipelago.
PAGASA said another tropical storm, which will be named “Pepito” once its enters the PAR, is currently near the Northern Mariana Islands and may also threaten the country next week.
A total of 36,788 families in five regions have been impacted by “Nika,” the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in an update on Tuesday.
The affected families are spread across 329 barangays in Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), 5 (Bicol), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Currently, 4,593 families are being sheltered in 246 evacuation centers, while 723 families are receiving aid outside of these centers.
About 20 big storms and typhoons hit the archipelago nation or its surrounding waters each year, killing scores of people and keeping millions in enduring poverty. With AFP
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “‘Ofel’ intensifies into severe tropical storm; Cagayan, Isabela at risk again.”
