New storm won't affect Phl yet

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported yesterday that tropical storm “Kabayan” maintained its strength yesterday but was too far to directly affect any part of the country.

PAGASA said the southwest monsoon enhanced by tropical storm “Juaning” will continue to bring rains over the western section of Luzon this weekend. Juaning left the Philippine area of responsibility last Thursday.

The rest of the country will be mostly cloudy with scattered rains and thunderstorms.

PAGASA said Kabayan was spotted at 810 kilometers east northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar at 10 a.m. with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It is moving northwest at 15 kph.

PAGASA supervising undersecretary Graciano Yumul said Kabayan would also enhance the southwest monsoon and is expected to bring estimated rainfall of 15 to 25 millimeters per hour starting Monday.

He said the storm is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.

“The latest numerical model shows a recurve towards Japan tomorrow (Saturday). However, there is a high-pressure area north of the storm. If the high pressure area persists, the storm would move westward toward central Philippines,” she said.

PAGASA has not yet raised any storm warning signal as of yesterday afternoon.

Kabayan is expected to be 730 kms northeast of Catarman this morning; 840 kms northeast of Virac, Catanduanes tomorrow morning and 820 kms northeast of Basco, Batanes by Monday morning.

Kabayan is the 11th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the fifth weather disturbance this month.

Juaning’s damage

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Coordinating Council (NDRRMC) reported that Juaning damaged an estimated P1.13 billion worth of agricultural crops and infrastructure in Luzon and the Visayas even as the death toll has risen to 41.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said initial reports showed that damaged infrastructure reached P1.02 billion while that of agriculture reached P110.91 million. All the damaged roads and bridges were in Bicol, the region that was most severely affected by the storm.

The storm damaged crops worth P48.52 million while irrigation facilities and agriculture infrastructure suffered P60.25- million losses.

The amount of affected fisheries reached P1.12 million while that of livestock hit P1.03 million. Areas that suffered damage in agriculture were Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Masbate, all in the Bicol region.

Some 333 houses were damaged by the storm, which left the country’s area of responsibility last Thursday.

Juaning left a total of 41 people dead in eight regions as of 6 a.m. yesterday - more than half or 28 of the fatalities were residents of Bicol.

Four more fatalities were reported each in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Calabarzon and one each in Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas and Central Visayas and Metro Manila.

Many of the fatalities were either buried by landslide, drowned, were electrocuted or suffered heart attack. A total of 40 people were injured while 11 others remained missing.

Ramos said 790,601 people in eight regions were affected by the storm. He said 79,099 remain inside 180 evacuation centers nationwide.

The estimated cost of assistance provided by local governments and the Social Welfare department has reached P9.4 million.

Meanwhile Superintendent Danilo Acosta, Quirino province police assistant chief, said damage to agricultural products was placed at P481 million while P11.6 million worth of livestock were damaged.

Quirino Gov. Junie Cua had earlier placed the province under a state of calamity.

Damage to agriculture commodities and infrastructure brought by Juaning had reached P110 million based on partial reports coming from the five provinces of Bicol as consolidated by the Department of Agriculture regional office as of noon Thursday.

Heavy rains in Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes and Masbate have affected some 15,807 hectares of rice farms and 11,833 farmers.

Aurora district engineer Elmer Dabbay said that strong currents destroyed a bridge along the Baler-Bongabon road in Barangay Villa, Ma. Aurora.

Erson Eguarge, chief of the provincial risk reduction and management council (PRRMC) in Aurora, said hundreds of commuters were also stranded by a landslide in a portion of the Baler-Casiguran road.

Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo inspected the damage caused by the storm in various towns.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to provide relief assistance to local government units (LGUs) affected by Juaning.

DSWD said some 50,455 families or 249,543 people were affected from Regions 1, 2, 4A, 5, 10, National Capital Region (NCR), and the CAR.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said 181 evacuation centers remain open serving 18,627 families. She said the DSWD is assisting some 9,203 affected families outside evacuation centers.

“The DSWD has allocated standby funds amounting to P2.9 million and relief supplies worth P57.8 million in seven regions ready for augmentation if needed by the affected LGUs,” Soliman said.

The NDRRMC ordered all its field units to undertake precautionary measures in their respective areas to mitigate the effects of Kabayan.

Ramos said he has instructed his field personnel to initiate preemptive evacuation of families in low-lying and mountainous areas if necessary.

“You are hereby ordered to monitor the situation and undertake precautionary measures in your area of responsibility… Emphasis should be on proactive actions - evacuation - rather than on rescue,” he said in a memorandum issued yesterday.

Ramos also urged fishermen to defer their fishing activities even if Kabayan is not expected to make landfall in the country. With Alexis Romero, Raymund Catindig, Marianne Go, Charlie Lagasca, Ding Cervantes