Philippine gov't ready to extend help to areas affected by storm

The Philippine government assured assistance to residents in areas being hit by tropical storm Nida, locally named Carina, which made landfall in northern province of Cagayan Sunday afternoon.

Nida, which made a landfall over Cabutunan Point in Cagayan province at 1:20 p.m. local time, is packing maximum sustained winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 120 kph.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar, in an interview over a state-run radio station, said that some 30,000 food packs are prepositioned in Region 1 or Ilocos Region, and 1,900 in Region 8 or Eastern Visayas.

He cautioned residents in low-lying areas especially those on the eastern and northern seaboards of the country as tropical storm Nida intensifies.

He urged fisherfolk to delay going to sea as precaution.

The weather disturbance is bringing moderate to heavy rainfall that poses danger and the threats of flooding and storm surge, the official added.

Some areas in the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela lost their power supply due to the weather disturbance, he said, quoting the energy department.

The tropical storm is expected to be outside the Philippines by Tuesday morning. Endit