‘Bising’ dumps rains on 3 provinces

MANILA, Philippines - Three provinces bore the brunt of the heavy rainfall dumped by tropical depression Bising yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA, however, lifted yesterday afternoon storm signals in the country as Bising moved away.

Weather forecaster Cris Perez said Albay, particularly Legazpi City, Sorsogon and Aurora, especially Casiguran town, experienced moderate to heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours.

“Actually Bising and the northeast monsoon, during the last 24 hours, caused rain in most parts of Luzon and the Visayas and certain areas of Mindanao. But in Albay, Sorsogon and Aurora, there was a high volume of rain,” Perez said.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA removed public storm warning signal no. 1 earlier imposed in Catanduanes province.

Bising reportedly maintained strength as it moved in a north-northeast direction at 22 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near center. It is not expected to make landfall.

By this afternoon, Bising would be at 500 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes and by tomorrow afternoon, it would be situated 930 kilometers northeast of Basco. On Tuesday, it is expected to be at 530 kilometers southeast of Okinawa, Japan.

Bising’s estimated rainfall was placed at between 5 to 15 millimeters per hour, or moderate to heavy.

PAGASA still advised fishing boats and other small seacraft not to venture out to the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon and the Visayas.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that as of noon yesterday, 2,867 people had been stranded in Sorsogon, Albay, Masbate, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Tacloban City in Leyte, and Catbalogan in Samar.

There were also 177 rolling cargoes, 18 vessels, and three motor bancas stranded in the terminals. The PCG said its units in the affected areas remain on heightened alert.

In Legazpi City, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda ordered the suspension of all classes yesterday when public storm warning signal No. 1 was hoisted.

Salceda also ordered people “not to cross rivers and floodwaters, and not to sail at sea in the eastern seaboard and Albay’s west coast.”

“People living in low-lying areas should take caution against flashfloods and those in mountain slopes against landslides,” Salceda said in an advisory.

Heavy rains last week submerged low-lying areas in Albay and forced over 13,000 people to evacuate. – With Cet Dematera, Celso Amo