3 die due to 'Crising' onslaught

PAGASA warns of more rains, new weather disturbance this week

- By MARTIN SADONGDONG, ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ, and AARON RECUENCO

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) urged the public to prepare for more rains as a new weather disturbance may form this week after Tropical Storm “Crising” left three people dead and 370,000 individuals were affected in 15 regions.

A report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday, July 20, showed that the combined effects of Crising and “habagat” (southwest monsoon) killed three people in Mindanao: one each in Mambajao, Camiguin; Lanao del Norte; and Malita Davao Occidental.

OCD Officer-in-Charge Asst. Sec. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the fatalities were hit by fallen debris.

“We're waiting for the validated reports on the ground but initially, it was reported that they were hit by fallen trees and other debris,” Alejandro said.

There were three missing individuals in Antique due to flooding while three others were injured in Sultan Kudarat.

"Ang habagat nag-umpisa sa Mindanao pataas hanggang Central Visayas kaya noong nakaraang linggo nagkaroon ng flooding sa Cebu hanggang Negros, Aklan, Panay Island at pataas (Habagat first affected Mindanao and moved up to Central Visayas, which is why there was flooding last week in Cebu, Negros, Aklan, Panay Island, and further north)," Alejandro explained.

"Ngayon nagme-meeting kami kasi may isang nagbabadyang LPA [low pressure area] na naman na binabantayan natin at again it might trigger or magdadala ng habagat so ibig sabihin tuluy-tuloy ang ulan, magkakaroon lang ng dalawa or tatlong araw na break at babalik na naman ang ulan (Right now, we're having a meeting because there's another looming LPA that we're monitoring, and again, it might trigger or enhance habagat. This means the rain will continue, with only a two- or three-day break before it starts raining again)," he added.