MANILA, Philippines (Updated 6:43 p.m.) — Days after Typhoon Quinta (international name Molave) made landfall, those reported to be evacuated, stranded, or even missing has skyrocketed to the thousands with the typhoon prompting state weather forecasters to hoist Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 3 in some areas in Luzon.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council's latest updates on Monday, 12 fisherfolk hailing from Brgy. Pananogan, Bato; Brgy. Cagdarao, Panganiban, Brgy. District 3, Gigmoto have been reported missing in Catanduanes.
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"So far we have not received any info on deaths caused by Quinta. However, there were 12 people reported as missing in Catanduanes, [and] we are still looking into the details of this matter," NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal told reporters in a text message.
From Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the Bicol Region and the Cordillera Region, a total of 2,475 families or 9,235 persons have been listed as affected by the typhoon according to their regional DRRMOs, Timbal disclosed, while 1,503 families amounting to 5,704 persons are staying in 33 evacuation centers located across the three regions.
With power interruptions also experienced in Quezon, Albay, Catanduanes, Cam Sur, Masbate and Sorsogon, some 3,524 persons or 968 families were also evacuated but opted to stay in other places outside the flood, landslide, storm-surge, and lahar-prone areas, usually with their other relatives.
Coast Guard deployed
Timbal added: "May lumubog po na vessel sa Bauan Batangas area; MV Oceanic Explorer 3 kanina 7 a.m. nagdeploy po na SAR team and PCG sub station sa Bauan at narescue po yung 7 na crew members pero hinahanap pa rin yung 8th hanggang sa ngayon."
(There was also a vessel that sunk in the Bayan Batangas area, the MV Oceanic Explorer 3, earlier at 7 a.m. The [coast guard] substation in Bauan has deployed a search and rescue team and already rescued seven crew members, but they are still looking for the eighth member until now.)
In a separate update sent to reporters, the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that it was responding to at least three separate incidents at sea, namely:
- MV RoRo-12: "ran aground" due to weather, sea condition at Bonito Island, Tingloy, Maricaban, Batangas at 08:00 a.m.
- MV Oceanic Explorer 3: submerged 0.5 nautical miles off Keppel Shipyard, Barangay San Roque, Bauan, Batangas at 07:00 a.m.
- MTUG Super Shuttle 3: reported fire onboard at the waters of Shell Island, Cebu City at around 03:30 a.m. today. PCG successfully conducted a firefighting operation.
For its part, the PCG said that as of 4 a.m. Monday, a total of 1,839 stranded Filipinos had been recorded, including passengers, truck drivers, and cargo helpers; 929 rolling cargoes; 44 vessels; and 14 motorbancas stranded in Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas regions due to the typhoon.
125 vessels and 58 motorbancas are also taking shelter as a precautionary measure against possible threats of the tropical depression.
Police Gen. Camilo Cascolan, chief of the national police, also said Monday that the PNP has mobilized Police Regional Offices in areas along the projected path of Quinta to initiate proactive response measures in coordination with the Local Government Units and other concerned national and local agencies.
Later Monday, the PCG also recorded two more maritime incidents, this time involving the Supercat MV Saint Nuriel and Starlite Ferries MV Annapolies that both "ran aground due to rough sea condition" off Mabini, Batangas.
The crewmen rescued were brought to the Mabini Community Hospital in Batangas for further medical assistance.
Meanwhile, Rodolfo Sarabia, the eighth and final crew member missing from the MV Oceanic Explorer 3, has yet to be found as of Monday afternoon.
According to the NDRRMC, the 12 missing fishermen were still missing as of 4 p.m. as per the Bicol RDRRMC, and rescue operations are still being conducted by the PCG.
"The PCG Command Center has recorded a total of: 605 passengers, truck drivers, and cargo helpers; 20 vessels; 12 motorbancas; and 472 rolling cargoes stranded in Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Western Visayas, and Palawan," the PCG said in a separate release at 5 p.m.
"Moreover, 91 vessels and 67 motorbancas are taking shelter in said regions as a precautionary measure," it added.
As of 4 p.m., the NDRRMC also reported zero casualties so far per reports from its regional counterparts.
"In latest monitoring, (Typhoon) Quinta has affected 2,823 families in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Cordillera Administration Region. 1,493 of which are currently staying in 68 evacuation centers while 968 are outside ECs," the council said for its part.
"11 flooding incidents were reported in Laguna, Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, Samar, and Apayao. Seven landslide incidents also occurred in Laguna, Aklan, Samar, and Apayao."
Pagasa: Quinta maintains strength, now over Mindoro strait
In its latest severe weather bulletin issued 11 a.m., state weather bureau PAGASA said that Quinta was last seen 125 km north of Coron, Palawan or 120 km west southwest of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro moving westward at 25 kph and packing peak winds of 125 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
"Quinta will continue to move westward until this afternoon, then will then turn west-northwestward towards the western boundary of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). "Quinta" is forecast to exit the PAR tomorrow morning," PAGASA also said.
The northwestern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Paluan) including Lubang Island is under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3.
Forecast positions
- Tuesday morning: 655 km West of Tanauan City, Batangas
- Wednesday morning: 1,110 km West of Central Luzon (Outside Philippine area of responsibility)