26-10-2024 (MANILA) The devastating impact of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine continues to mount across the Philippines, with official figures now confirming 27 fatalities, according to the latest report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The Bicol region bore the brunt of the storm’s fury, recording the highest number of casualties since the tropical storm made its initial landfall. Officials report that 20 people have sustained injuries, while search operations continue for five individuals who remain unaccounted for, though these figures await final verification.
The scale of displacement has reached staggering proportions, with more than 986,974 families—equivalent to approximately 4.2 million individuals—affected nationwide. Emergency services report that over 80,000 families have been forced to seek shelter in evacuation centres.
Bicol region emerges as the epicentre of the catastrophe, with more than 2 million residents impacted by the severe weather system. The Eastern Visayas follows as the second most affected area, where 685,049 people have been displaced or otherwise affected by the storm.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ranks as the third most severely impacted area, with 435,135 residents facing the storm’s consequences.
Emergency response teams continue their operations across the affected regions, with authorities focusing on immediate relief efforts while beginning to assess the full extent of the damage to infrastructure and agriculture. The NDRRMC maintains its heightened alert status as recovery operations continue across the affected regions.
