Nearly 17,000 affected by 'Caloy'

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical Depression "Caloy" has affected about 17,000 people from at least two provinces in Mindanao, where hundreds of residents have also been evacuated.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its first update on Friday that 16,765 people in Davao del Norte and 170 others in Compostela Valley are affected by the third tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.

In Asuncion, Davao del Norte, about 1,550 people from three villages have been evacuated along with 100 more from Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.

The state disaster response agency has not yet reported any casualty from the areas affected by Caloy.

The NDRRMC said when Caloy was still a low pressure area, it already brought continuous rains that caused the water level of the Saug and Manat Rivers to rise and flood Asuncion and Nabunturan towns.

According to state weather bureau PAGASA, the center of the tropical depression was located at 330 kilometers east northeast of Davao City as of 10 a.m. It was packing maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and is expected to move west at 11 kilometers per hour.

Public storm warning signal no. 1 has been hoisted over Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Northern part of Davao del Sur including Davao City, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, North Cotabato, Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.

Moderate to heavy rainfall (five to 15 millimeters per hour) is expected within the 300-kilometer diameter of the tropical depression.