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SITUATION OVERVIEW
Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as a tropical depression on 21 October 2024. It affected the entire Luzon and Visayas island regions extending to parts of Mindanao in the south. Even before making landfall, it caused severe flooding and landslides that impacted a significant number of people, especially in areas which were hit by the trough. The heavy rainfall led to lahars flowing from Mount Mayon Volcano in the Bicol Region, which severely impacted both lives and livelihoods. On 24 October, STS Kristine made landfall in Isabela province in northeast Luzon, then crossed to Ifugao, Mountain Province, and Ilocos Sur province on the same day. Kristine exited Luzon through Ilocos Sur, though the trough of the STS continued to unleash heavy rain and winds across vast areas, severely impacting Region 3, 4A, and 5. On 25 October, STS Kristine exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility and made a landfall in Vietnam on 27 October. In the Philippines, Severe Tropical Storm Kristine was the eleventh tropical cyclone , with an average of 20 tropical cyclones impacting the country in a year. Sometimes the same areas are impacted repeatedly, with multiple tropical cyclones and associated hazards intensifying disasters manyfold. This is due to existing vulnerabilities and a limited capacity for recovery, compounded by the frequency and recurrence of these events.
At the time of publishing this Emergency Appeal, Super Typhoon Kong-Rey (locally known as Leon) is passing over the extreme northern region of Luzon, affecting some of the islands. The full impact of this typhoon on the Philippines is not yet clear, nonetheless, some of the areas heavily affected by STS Kristine are now under Cyclone Wind Signal Level 2. If there is a major impact from Leon, assessments will be conducted to determine the need for additional support in potentially overlapping areas.
Severe Tropical Storm Kristine has caused devastating impacts across 17 regions. Approximately 7.1 million people were affected causing widespread displacement with 935,114 individuals residing either in evacuation centres or taking shelter outside of them with their relatives or friends. Kristine left 83,777 houses damaged and more than 61,746 hectares of crops washed away, severely affecting transportation and communication networks. It is the deadliest tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year.
The extensive crop losses have made food access a major challenge for at-risk and hard to reach communities whose livelihoods were damaged or disrupted by the floods, including notably vulnerable individuals, such as pregnant and lactating mothers. Along with houses, significant damage to power infrastructure, bridges, and other critical facilities has also been reported. (NDRRMC SitRep No. 15, OCHA FLASH UDPATE 2)
Access to safe drinking water and sanitation was affected in 32 cities and municipalities. Over 900,000 people residing in evacuation centres have limited access to basic health care services, safe drinking water, and sanitation facilities, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. The Department of Health anticipates an increase in leptospirosis cases in the next two weeks due to the severe flooding. (NDRRMC
SitRep No. 15 and the Department of Health)
Kristine displaced 935,111 individuals, with 531,387 taking refuge in evacuation centres and 403,727 being assisted outside of them. Protection remains a top concern, as overcrowding and the lack of privacy in evacuation centres leaves women and children exposed to risks. Establishing safe spaces for women and children and the deploying gender-based violence response teams must be prioritised. According to the Department of Education, PHP 3.3 billion worth of infrastructure was damaged in over 38,000 schools. The reconstruction of severely damaged classrooms will cost PHP 2.7 billion, while an additional PHP 680 million is needed for major repairs. As a result, 90 per cent of enrolled children will experience learning disruptions, with in-person classes suspended in 38,333 schools, affecting approximately 19.4 million students, and disrupting the work of 786,726 teaching and non-teaching personnel. Major efforts are needed to safeguard children and expedite repairs to restore normalcy in their education. (NEWS - GMA, Save the Children, OCHA)
Additionally, 353 cities and municipalities experienced power outages, resulting in a complete loss of communication in 57 municipalities and cities. (NDRRMC SitRep No. 15)