THE casualty toll in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ramil has climbed to seven dead, one injured, and two reported missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
Ramil, which has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), affected a total of 37,827 families or 133,196 persons in 355 barangays in 35 cities and towns in nine provinces.
In its Situational Report issued at 6 a.m. on October 20, the NDRRMC said that because of the inclement weather, a total of 28,472 persons from Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Bicol, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas were pre-emptively evacuated.
‘The weather bureau said Ramil, the 18th severe weather disturbance to affect the country this year, further intensified outside PAR, and continues to induce scattered rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan.
The trough and outer rainbands of Ramil and the easterlies will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Occidental Mindoro,’ the state weather bureau added.
As of 11 a.m., Ramil was spotted west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur, moving northwestward at 25 kilomeers per hour.
Pagasa said it is packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph.