Quezon City under state of calamity due to ‘Kristine’

Metro Manila, Philippines — Quezon City has declared a state of calamity due to the impact of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which has left the country’s monitoring zone.

The Quezon City Council held a special session on Friday, Oct. 25, to approve a resolution, declaring a state of calamity as 41 barangays were seriously affected by the storm’s impact.

With the approval, barangays in the city may tap their quick response fund for rehabilitation.

More than 2,000 families, or about 8,000 individuals, are still seeking shelter in evacuation centers.

“Kahit ‘di pa nagde-declare si Mayor Joy [Belmonte] ng state of calamity, nagbigay na actually ang office ni Mayor Joy ng relief goods sa lahat ng evacuation center,” the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office spokesperson Peachy de Leon told NewsWatch Plus.

[Translation: Even before Mayor Joy declared a state of calamity, her office already gave out relief goods to all evacuation centers.]

“Maybe [there will be] additional relief goods po after the announcement of state of calamity,” she added.

Kristine battered most parts of the country, including Metro Manila, on Thursday night.

Several areas in Quezon City have been submerged in floods, with some reaching beyond a person’s head. As of Friday, floods subsided.

The cyclone’s strong winds also toppled trees.

The local government conducted clearing operations when the weather became fair.

To date, the city has no casualties or damage reported.