MORE than 2,000 individuals were displaced due to the onslaught of Super Typhoon Julian, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
In a situational report, the NDRRMC said a total of 43,093 families, or 149,293 persons, in 552 barangays across the Ilocos, Cagayan, and Cordillera regions have been affected by Julian.
Of the figure, 646 families, or 2,176 individuals, have fled their homes and are now in evacuation centers.
NDRRMC also reported over P11.3 million worth of assistance has been provided to 17,658 affected families in the hardest-hit regions.
In Ilocos region, 23 municipalities were placed under a state of calamity due to the effects of Julian, which also caused suspension of classes and work in government offices, flooding, and damage to 88 houses.
The disaster bureau recorded eight injuries and one missing individual amid the bad weather.
As of 10 a.m. of October 2, Super Typhoon Julian has remained outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), maintaining its strength while moving north northeastward slowly.
Julian was spotted at 265 kilometers west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 205 km/h, and central pressure of 945 hPa.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 1 was hoisted over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern and western portions of Ilocos Norte (Pasuquin, Sarrat, Bangui, Vintar, Burgos, Pagudpud, Bacarra, Adams, San Nicolas, Dumalneg, Laoag City), and the northwestern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria).
Julian was expected to make landfall in the southwestern coast of Taiwan by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.
“At present, there is no dominant weather system influencing the general motion of Julian. As such, considerable shifts in the track forecast of succeeding bulletins are not ruled out,” said Pagasa.
“Julian will continue to weaken due to a combination of incoming northeasterly wind flow over the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait and lower ocean heat content in its vicinity (which is related to upwelling of cooler waters caused by its slow movement for nearly two days). Further weakening is expected once JULIAN hits the landmass over Taiwan due to frictional effects. The tropical cyclone may become a remnant low during the weekend,” it added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)