'Crising' kills 2, affects 146,041

MANILA (Updated) -- At least two people were dead while two others remain missing as Tropical Depression Crising dumped rains that triggered floods that affects 146,041 people in Mindanao, the state disaster agency said Thursday afternoon.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) identified the fatalities namely: Erwin Campana, 43, a resident of Barangay Camansi, Monte Vista, Compostela Valley; and Francisco Digaynon, also a resident of Compostela Valley – both drowned while crossing a river.

Reported missing were Percela Apolinario, 63, resident of Barangay Magugba, Libacao, Aklan; and Suden Abdullah of Barangay Pinol, Maitum, Sarangani Province.

The NDRRMC earlier reported that four members of a family namely: Maria Nacua, Dodong Nacua, Anatallo Nacua, and a nine-month-old baby boy were injured after a landslide hit their house.

As of Thursday afternoon, the NDRRMC said Crising has affected a total of 31,749 families or 146,041 people in 113 barangays in Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga regions and of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).

A total of 2,702-affected families (12,689 persons) are housed in 18 evacuation centers.

The state disaster agency said that Crising has affected a total of five roads, one footbridge and seven bridges in the regions of Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao and Caraga.

As of Thursday, the water level at Pulangi is still increasing and more villages are expected to be affected, the NDRRMC added.

The water level at the New Batangan Bridge, Barangay Batangan, Valencia City, was at 10 feet or near-critical was also reported earlier.

The NDRRMC monitored two landslide incidents at Barangay Villa Solidaridad, Baybay town and Barangay Liberacion, Mahaplag town in Leyte.

Flooding also occurred in the municipalities of Palo, Sta. Fe and Abuyog, in Leyte, but the waters in the two latter areas subsided as of Thursday, according to the NDRRMC.

A total of 1,074 sea passengers in Mindanao and 11 vessels have been stranded due to the tropical cyclone.

As of 4:00 p.m. Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Crising is moving west northwest at 22 kilometers per hour (kph), with maximum winds of 45 kph near the center.

Pagasa said Crising is located 200 kilometers (km) west of Balabac, Palawan and it is forecasted to be outside of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday night. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)