Pagasa warns public vs big waves in next 24 hours

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned the public yesterday of big waves that could hit the western shores of Luzon in the next 24 hours as a result of the surge of the southwest monsoon that is being affected by typhoon “Karen.”

Robert Sawi, chief of Pagasa weather forecasting section, said the shores of northern and the western section of Luzon would experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms until today.

“The sea conditions in these areas would be rough to very rough with wave heights expected at 3.40 to 4.50 meters,” Sawi said.

Sawi said fishing boats and other small vessels are advised not to venture out to sea while bigger sea vessels are alerted against moderate to high waves.

He, however, said the entire country could still expect good weather this weekend.

“The entire country would have partly cloudy to clear skies this weekend,” said Sawi, adding that no weather disturbance is likely to affect the country in the next few days.

He said a shallow low-pressure area was spotted over east of Visayas on Thursday but is unlikely to become a storm based on latest satellite data.

Pagasa weather branch chief Nathaniel Cruz earlier said the country could expect nine to 10 more tropical storms towards the end of the year.

Typhoon Karen, the latest to hit the Philippines, slammed Northern Luzon provinces on Wednesday, killing at least eight people and damaging infrastructure worth over P6 million.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said the estimated damage to public school buildings and property caused by typhoon Karen could reach P56.8 million.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said 223 public schools were damaged in Northern Luzon.

He said that DepEd central office would be asking for funds from the National Disaster Coordinating Council to rehabilitate the affected public schools.

Lapus said that with the string of typhoons ravaging the country since June, they have already used up the P300 million for the repair of storm-damaged schools.

He already ordered the release of a bigger budget for the department’s “disaster quick response fund” for next year, raising it from P300 million to P1 billion.

It was learned that DepEd Region I reported that 100 schools sustained major damages that would cost P15.2 million, Region II reported 62 schools affected with an estimated cost of P19.2 million and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with 61 schools damaged and would need P22.4 million for repairs.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported that typhoon Karen also damaged P133 million worth of infrastructure and agriculture while five persons remained missing.

The NDCC said P104,560,282 worth of crops and agricultural products were destroyed while P28.38 million worth of roads, bridges, and school buildings were damaged.

Some 123,354 persons were affected by the typhoon in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley region and CAR, with the provinces of La Union, Cagayan, Benguet and Mountain Province being the worst hit.

The NDCC identified the missing persons in Ilocos Norte as Dionisio Tumamao, 50, of Barangay 24 Nagrebcan, San Nicolas town who was swept by strong currents while crossing the Padsan River; Alfonso Alejo, 56, of Barangay Macayepyep, in Banna town reported missing after crossing the river; Isaias Aguinaldo, 56, Barangay Medina in Dingras town who was swept while crossing the river.

The other two missing persons from Abra and Mountain Province were Faustino Bilerma, 66, of Nangobonga, in San Juan town and Mary Andogan, 76, of Barangay Besao East in Besao town. – With Rainier Allan Ronda, James Mananghaya