Tropical storm Nalgae leaves 48 dead, almost a million affected in the Philippines

Tropical Storm (TS) Nalgae (local name: Paeng) is now on its exit way from Philippine territory leaving at least 48 confirmed dead and 932,077 affected individuals, based on a report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC, 30 October 2022, 6am).

Making three succeeding landfalls in the Bicol region with the first landfall in Catanduanes, TS Nalgae has brought devastating winds and massive torrential rains throughout the country causing flash floods and landslides, especially in the low-lying and coastal areas. The tropical storm has displaced 169,000 persons, NDRRMC recently reported.

In Mindanao, where most casualties have been recorded, at least 40 were killed due to landslides in Maguindanao, and others were mostly killed by staggering floods in the BARMM region.

World Vision closely monitors the situation of supported families in Maguindanao provinces and Cotabato City, where the child-focused humanitarian agency has ongoing community programs. “So far, none of our supported families was affected,” Renato Salas, World Vision Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Manager, said. “But our field team will do more rounds in our communities to check the current situation.”

In Luzon, people have been pre-emptively evacuated but are generally safe, according to World Vision program managers Chifadel Mabolo of Metro Manila and Rey Montimor of Albay, a neighbouring province of the landfall site in Camarines Sur.

Mindanao Field Office Manager, who is now in Zamboanga, south of the Philippines, said that weather is generally fine in her location. “There are no rains now. Some areas are still flooded. Electricity has returned.”

Government agencies have mobilized rescue operations in various areas and initially responded to provide immediate emergency food assistance to affected and displaced families especially in the hard-hit provinces and cities across the country, including in regions 5, 12, and BARMM which declared a state of calamity (NDRRMC, 30 Oct 2022).

Nalgae, now cited in the northern section of the Philippines,  is expected to officially leave the country on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Meanwhile, Philippine weather authorities anticipate another approaching tropical depression, to be locally named Queenie, to enter the country on Monday, October 31.

Located in the typhoon belt in the Pacific, the Philippines experience an average of 20 typhoons a year.

Written by: Gjeff Lamigo | Communications Manager, #WorldVisionPH | Photos by Marivel Ubana, World Vision volunteer