ALBAWABA- Tropical Depression Verbena strengthened slightly on Tuesday as it swept across the central Philippines, unleashing heavy rains that flooded communities in Caraga and Bohol, disrupted transport, and damaged homes and farmland, disaster officials said.
In its 5 p.m. advisory, the Philippine weather agency PAGASA located Verbena’s center off the coast of Anda, Bohol, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gusts of up to 75 kph.
The system, this year’s 22nd cyclone, entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday as a low-pressure area before making landfall in Surigao del Sur late Monday and again in Bohol early Tuesday. It is expected to cross the Visayas and could briefly strengthen into a tropical storm near northern Palawan before exiting the PAR on Thursday.
PAGASA warned of heavy to intense rainfall, up to 200 mm in 24 hours, intensified by an accompanying shear line. The agency cautioned that flash floods and landslides remain likely across Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and the Bicol region.
In Caraga, where Verbena first made landfall, swollen rivers and fast-rising floodwaters prompted evacuation orders for more than 10,000 residents in low-lying barangays.
Roads were rendered impassable, ferry services were suspended, and at least six homes in the Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Sur were destroyed. Early reports indicate damage to rice fields and banana plantations running into the millions of pesos, though full assessments are still underway. No fatalities have been reported.
Sea travel across affected regions was halted as waves reached up to four meters, stranding passengers and interrupting supply routes.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council raised its alert status to BLUE, deploying search-and-rescue units and prepositioning relief goods. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged coastal and high-risk residents to remain vigilant and follow evacuation advisories.
The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance issued a regional alert, noting potential spillover effects on supply chains in neighboring countries.
