ANOTHER WEATHER DISTURBANCE: ‘Marce’ out, ‘Nika’ in

National

TYPHOON Marce has exited the country but a new tropical depression (TD) named Nika has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the state weather bureau announced.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that TD Nika entered the PAR at 2 a.m. on Saturday, November 9.

The system is expected to move toward Northern-Central Luzon. This could bring more challenges to areas in Northern Luzon that are still recovering from the impact of Typhoon Marce, which left behind heavy rain and damage earlier this week.

Typhoon Marce, with international name Yinxing, exited the PAR after causing significant disruption in several provinces.

The typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts reaching 185 kph.

All tropical cyclone wind signals had been lifted, but the trough of the storm continued to bring isolated rains over parts of La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that Marce affected over 20,000 people across seven provinces in Northern Luzon.

Flooding and heavy rains were particularly severe in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

More than 3,900 families were forced to seek shelter in 186 evacuation centers, though no fatalities or injuries have been reported so far.

In response to the storm, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and local authorities have been distributing aid to affected regions.

On November 7, the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua delivered family food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to the Bicol Region, while the BRP Gabriela Silang brought relief supplies to Batanes.

In Cagayan, over 600 police officers were deployed to assist with evacuation and relief efforts, conducting 24 operations in affected areas.

Local government units (LGUs) in typhoon-hit areas have also been proactive.

In La Union, Governor Raffy Ortega-David suspended

government work and classes due to the storm’s impact.

Meanwhile, in Cagayan, several schools and government buildings suffered extensive damage, including the Buguey North Central School, where strong winds tore off roofs and destroyed educational materials.

As recovery efforts continue, the international community has stepped in to provide aid.

The South Korean government has donated $500,000 to the World Food Program to support the ongoing relief efforts in the Philippines.(CMM)