Carina threatens more areas

MANILA, Philippines – State weather forecasters have placed more provinces in Luzon and the Visayas under storm warning signals as Carina intensified into a tropical storm yesterday. 

In its 5 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Carina is located 290 kilometers northeast of Virac, Catanduanes.

It packs maximum sustained winds of up to 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

After intensifying into a tropical storm, PAGASA placed the province of Isabela under storm signal number 2. 

Placed under signal number 1 were the provinces of Cagayan including Babuyan Group of Islands, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon and northern Samar.

“Carina has intensified into a tropical storm as it continues to move in the general direction of northern Luzon,” PAGASA said in its advisory. 

“Estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 400 km diameter of the tropical storm,” it added. 

The weather bureau alerted fisherfolk against rough to very rough seas over the eastern seaboards of Camarines Norte and Quezon, including Polillo Island.

It said areas under storm warning signals, as well as the rest of Cagayan Valley, Masbate, Camarines Norte and Quezon, are alerted against moderate to heavy rains which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Carina was forecast to move north northwest at 18 kph. 

It is expected to make landfall today, and be at 250 km northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte tomorrow afternoon. 

It is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Tuesday. 

Stranded passengers

Meanwhile, a total of 2,769 passengers were stranded in Bicol and eastern Visayas as of noon yesterday due to Carina, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported.

In a statement, the PCG said there were also 346 rolling cargoes, 47 vessels and 18 motorboats waiting for clearance to sail.

In the Bicol Region, the Coast Guard said a total of 1,873 people were prevented from continuing with their sea travel, while in eastern Visayas, there were 331 people stranded in Looc, Catbalogan; 309 in San Isidro, Catbalogan; and 256 in Jubusan, Catbalogan.

PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo urged the public to monitor the weather in their destinations.

They have also alerted their rescue teams for immediate response.

Also yesterday, six domestic flights of PAL Express were cancelled due to the bad weather caused by Carina. – With Evelyn Macairan, Celso Amo, Francis Elevado, Rudy Santos