Tropical Storm Trami, locally known as Kristine, is battering the Philippines, prompting mass evacuations and warnings of unprecedented rainfall and flooding.
This is the 11th cyclone to impact the country this year, affecting large parts of Luzon, Visayas, and some areas of Mindanao. Even before making landfall, Trami has triggered severe flooding and landslides, with its official landfall expected between Wednesday evening and early Thursday.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed concern over the storm’s potential devastation, stating that the “worst is yet to come” and describing the expected volumes of rainfall as “unprecedented.” In his briefing with disaster management officials, he conveyed the government’s readiness to respond, but also shared a sense of helplessness over the immediate situation, emphasizing the priority of ensuring public safety before addressing infrastructure issues.
The storm has already led to widespread disruptions, with government offices and schools closed across Luzon, and four provinces, including Quezon and several in Bicol Region, declaring a state of calamity. In Bicol alone, over 47,500 residents have been evacuated, and at least two fatalities have been reported along with five missing fishermen.
The Philippines is frequently impacted by natural disasters, being recognized as the country most at risk globally, according to the 2024 World Risk Report. With increasing unpredictability and severity in weather patterns attributed to climate change, millions of Filipinos face the impacts of such storms annually. Just last month, Typhoon Yagi resulted in over a dozen fatalities in the country’s eastern regions.
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