Heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm "Urduja" caused flooding in Tacloban City, which has been placed under a state of calamity. Sharon Evite, ABS-CBN News
MANILA - At least 3 people died in separate incidents of flash floods and landslides hours before Tropical Storm "Urduja" is set to make landfall, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Saturday.
A fisherman died in an unspecified incident, another person was killed in a landslide in Biliran, while a child was found dead after a flash flood in Leyte, NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan said in an interview on DZMM.
Three fishermen are, meanwhile, still unaccounted for, while 3 others remain missing from the Biliran landslide, she said.
Two others were reported hurt in a separate landslide in Leyte.
"Ito ay mga reports pa lamang at vini-verify pa ng Department of Interior and Local Government 'yung mga identity nila," Marasigan said.
The NDRRMC advised the public not to underestimate "Urduja" as it is expected to bring heavy rains.
"Tropical storm ito pero ang pag-ulan na dala nito ay magdudulot ng malawakang pagbaha... Dahil matagal ito sa dagat ay nag-iipon ito ng tubig," Marasigan said.
The NDRRMC spokesperson said relief packs are on standby in social welfare warehouses in case those affected would have to spend the holidays in evacuation centers.
"Ayaw natin na mag-spend sila ng Pasko sa evacuation centers pero mas importante ang kanilang kaligtasan," Marasigan said.
Weather bureau PAGASA said Saturday that Urduja is moving west towards the Northern-Eastern Samar area at 10 kph, dumping rains on it way. It is likely to make landfall Saturday afternoon or evening.
Several parts of the Visayas and Luzon have been placed under storm warning signals because of the oncoming storm.