Tropical Depression “Obet” continued to move westward while maintaining its strength, as it is forecast to gradually intensify and may reach the tropical storm category by Friday or Saturday.
Meanwhile, several towns in the province of Cagayan have been placed under a state of calamity in the wake of Tropical Storm “Neneng,” the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said Thursday.
Santa Ana, Sanchez-Mira, and Santa Praxedes towns declared a calamity state, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
“They did this so they could use their (disaster) funds,” Cagayan provincial disaster council officer-in-charge Ruelie Rapsing said at a public briefing.
Meanwhile, “Obet” is likely to intensify once it reaches the West Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau said.
The center of “Obet” was estimated at 650 km east of Basco, Batanes. It was moving westward at 15 km/h, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.
Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 was raised over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan.
In its report as of Thursday, the NDRRMC said 181,185 people or 51,870 families in Ilocos, Cagayan, and Cordillera were affected by Neneng.
A total of 578 people or 163 families were staying inside evacuation centers while 1,111 people or 208 families were taking shelter in other places.
At least 279 homes sustained damage—220 partially and 59 totally.
Reported damage to agriculture is at P366,058,240.16, with P81,555,000 in damage to infrastructures, the disaster council said.