'Juaning' death toll climbs to 20

MANILA, Philippines - Six more people have been confirmed killed as tropical storm "Juaning" makes landfall in Aurora province this morning.

Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said that the six new fatalities raised the death toll from the storm to 20.

Ramos said that five of the new fatalities were killed in a landslide in Barangay Sta. Rosa, Jose Panganiban town in Camarines Norte. The other one was a 13-year-old girl, who drowned in Quezon province.

Earlier, the NDRRMC reported that 14 people were killed due to floods caused by rains brought on by the storm.

The NDRRMC said that seven of the fatalities were from Albay, two in Catanduanes and one in Camarines Sur. Two more were from Cavite and one each in Marinduque and Iloilo.

The NDRRMC added that nine people remained missing including two in Quezon, one in Lucena City, two in Catanduanes, three in Albay and one more in Camarines Norte.

The agency said that relief workers of the government have been deployed to evacuees in Quezon, Camarines Sur and Albay provinces where 645,137 people are temporarily staying.

As of this morning, the agency has recorded 11 sea mishaps, five incidents of flooding, and seven landslides.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), "Juaning" made landfall in Dinalungan-Casiguran area in Aurora province at 9:30 a.m. As of 10 a.m., the storm's eye was estimated at 40 kilometers of Casiguran.

PAGASA said that the storm slightly intensified, now packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 120 kph. It has slowed down further as it moved in a northwestern direction.

The weather bureau said that the storm will cross Cagayan province, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya before it exits land through La Union province tonight. The storm was expected to start its exit from the Philipine area of responsibility by Friday.

In a press conference, PAGASA weather forecasters said that they expect the storm's intensity to decrease as it travels over land. As of this posting, the storm's eye was crossing the Sierra Madre mountain range.

Public storm warning signal number 2 remains hoisted in Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon including Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur,

Mt. Province, Isabela, La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon and Polillo Island.

Storm warning signal number 1 is up over Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Mindoro provinces including Lubang Island, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Burias Island.

Decreased effect on Metro Manila

As the storm shifts direction and misses and earlier predicted landfall in Polillo Island, PAGASA said the weather disturbance's effect in Metro Manila may decrease.

Officials in Metro Manila, headed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), made preparations as early as yesterday in preparation of the storm's landfall.

Earlier forecast from the weather bureau said heavy rains and strong winds should be expected in Metro Manila as the storm starts to hit land.

The prediction prompted Malacañang to suspend classes in all levels in Metro Manila. The Senate and the House of Representatives also suspended work due to fears of the storm.

Classes in pre-school, elementary and highschool levels, both in public and private, in seven more regions have also been suspended.

The regions were Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Cordillera Administrative Region.