2 dead as 'Crising' moves closer to Palawan

MANILA, Philippines - Two persons have been confirmed killed and two more reported missing as tropical depression "Crising" moved closer to the southern part of Palawan province on Thursday morning.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) identified the latest fatality as 43-year-old Erwin Campana of Barangay Camansi, MOntevista in Compostela Valley province.

Campana died from drowning after trying cross a river in his barangay.

The first fatality confirmed by the NDRRMC on Wednesday, identified as Francisco Digaynon, also died from drowning after crossing the Taytayan River in the same province.

The two missing persons were identified as Percela Apolinario, 63, of Barangay Magugba, Libacao in Aklan province and Suden Abdullah of Barangay Pinol, Maitum in Sarangani province.

Apolinario was swept by the strong current while crossing a river while Abdullah went missing after his boat was hit by big waves while on his way home from fishing.

The NDRRMC also reported that a total of 25,350 families of 120,269 people were affected by the typhoon. Of the number, a total of 864 families or 3,950 were still staying in evacuation centers.

The typhoon's heavy rains that caused flooding in parts of Mindanao damaged a total of 87 houses.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that as of 6 a.m., the storm's center was estimated at 480 kilometers northwest of Zamboanga City.

PAGASA said the storm was moving wet northwest and was closer to southern Palawan, which remained under public storm warning signal number 1.

Disaster response units in the southern areas of Palawan have been placed on full alert.

The weather bureau said that the storm may bring moderate to heavy rains over the affected areas in Palawan.