‘Quinta' makes 5 landfalls before leaving landmass

10,000 displaced; new LPA threatens PH anew

- ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Only the northwestern part of Occidental Mindoro and Lubang Island remain under tropical cyclone wind Signal No. 3 as typhoon “Quinta” (international name: “Molave”) leaves the Philippine landmass Monday morning.

Before leaving the landmass, Quinta made a total of five landfalls in San Miguel Island, Tabaco City, Albay (6:10 p.m., 25 October); Malinao, Albay (6:50 p.m., October 25); San Andres, Quezon (10:30 p.m., October 25); Torrijos, Marinduque (1:20 a.m., October 26); and Pola, Oriental Mindoro (3:30 a.m., October 26).

The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol disclosed that 12 fishermen were reported missing at height of the storm.

Some 10,000 individuals were affected by Quinta in Southern Luzon and the northernmost part of the country, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Monday.

NDRRMC spokesman Mark Timbal said 1,503 families or 5,704 individuals were pre-emptively evacuated and are currently staying in various evacuation centers in Bicol Region (Region 5), Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon or Region 4A), Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan or Region 4B), and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Some 968 families or 3,524 individuals also fled their homes but opted to go to their relatives and to areas which are not prone to flood, landslide, storm surge, and lahar, he added.

Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor has likened the strength of Quinta to Typhoon Tisoy which wrought havoc in the province in December last year.