Lando, Kabayan bring more rains

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical cyclones “Kabayan” and “Lando” continued to enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas, the state weather bureau reported yesterday.

Graciano Yumul, supervising undersecretary of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said western Luzon will experience rainy weather until Friday.

The eye of Kabayan was spotted at 1,160 kilometers east-northeast of Aparri, Cagayan as of 10 a.m., with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph.

Kabayan is expected to move north northwest at nine kph.

The storm is predicted to be 1,020 kms east northeast of Basco, Batanes this morning, 940 kms northeast of Basco tomorrow morning, and 980 kms north northeast of Basco or 280 kms southeast of Okinawa, Japan by Thursday morning.

“This weather disturbance is too far to directly affect any part of the country,” PAGASA said in an advisory.

PAGASA said Kabayan could bring 10 to 25 millimeters per hour of rain within the 800-km diameter of the typhoon.

Meanwhile, Lando remained almost stationary over the West Philippine Sea yesterday afternoon.

The center of Lando was located at 280 kms west southwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, as of 10 a.m., packing winds of 45 kph near the center.

PAGASA said Lando was moving north northeast slowly.

It is expected to be 190 kms west northwest of Laoag City this morning; 160 kms north of Laoag City tomorrow morning; and 240 kms north northeast of Laoag City or 110 kms north northeast of Basco by Thursday morning.

“The country is not directly affected by Lando but the enhancement of the southwest monsoon would bring scattered to widespread rains over Luzon and Visayas, particularly the western section,” the weather bureau said.

It said Lando could bring five to 10 mm per hour of rain within the 300-km diameter of the tropical depression.

Kabayan and Lando are the 11th and 12th tropical cyclones to enter the country this year and the 5th and 6th weather disturbances in July.

Yumul said Kabayan is expected to move out of the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow morning, while Lando is likely to dissipate inside the country tomorrow afternoon.

He said another low-pressure area east of the Philippines is expected to intensify into a tropical depression and enter the country on Sunday.

It will be given the local name “Mina” once it enters the country, he said.

PAGASA said two or three tropical cyclones are expected to enter the Philippines in August.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released P46.88 million worth of standby funds and relief emergency supplies to local government units affected by the weather disturbances.

“The DSWD allocated standby funds amounting to P1.31 million and relief supplies worth P45.57 million in six regions ready for augmentation if needed by the affected LGUs,” Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said.

The DSWD also distributed 3,500 food packs, 2,000 blankets and 2,000 plastic mats amounting to P1,314,893 to the families affected by the storms.

Soliman said a total of 259 evacuation centers remain open serving 20,850 families. Likewise, the DSWD is assisting some 10,705 affected families outside evacuation centers.

The National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday that four persons were killed by flashfloods caused by Kabayan in Bohol and Bulacan.

NDRRMC and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) head Benito Ramos said that the toll for tropical storm “Juaning” is now 57 dead due to flashfloods and landslides that hit Luzon and parts of Visayas due to heavy rains spawned by the storm last week.

Ramos identified the four victims of Kabayan as fishpond workers Liberato Yumul, 40, Jason Reyes, 30, both of Barangay Roque, Hagonoy, Bulacan; four-year-old Junrey Modas Potat and two-year-old Princess Joy Modas Potat of Cortes, Bohol.

Yumul and Reyes, along with six others, were aboard a motorboat that capsized in the vicinity of Hagonoy, Bulacan and Pampanga Delta on Tuesday.

Yumul’s body was recovered in Corregidor the following day while Reyes was retrieved in Pampanga River also the same day.

The two children were killed when a landslide destroyed their house in Barangay Lincod, Maribojoc town in Bohol.

Heavy rains spawned by Kabayan have affected 642 families or 3,158 persons in eight villages in Central Luzon, specially in Bulacan.

Kabayan said the landslide in Maribojoc, Bohol destroyed P2-million worth of public and private infrastructure.

On the other hand, the 57 fatalities of Juaning came mostly from Bicol with 14 killed in Albay, six from Catanduanes, eight from Camarines Sur, seven from Camarines Norte, four from Masbate, and two from Sorsogon; one from Iloilo, one from Siquijor, one from Leyte; one from Las Piñas City, Metro Manila; four from Ifugao and one from Itogon Benguet.

P1.8-billion damage caused by Juaning

Damage to infrastructure and agriculture left by Juaning has been estimated at P1.8 billion.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bicol Region Director Danilo Dequito said that the damage to infrastructure in the region caused by tropical storm Juaning had reached P585.9 million.

Dequito said that as of July 29, “most of our flood control structures, national roads and bridges in the region were damaged by landslides and heavy flooding.”

The 16-year-old Togbon Bridge in Albay sustained the most severe damage.

“This bridge has become non-passable because of massive scouring, one of the abutments was washed out. This bridge is important because it serves as a shortcut for motorists from Ligao City in Albay to Maharlika Highway, the road going to Manila.”

The DPWH would be providing an alternate route for motorists to use.

The DPWH said the pavement leading to the Togbon Bridge is in danger of collapsing. The government has to allocate P65 million to repair the damaged section.

Dequito recommended the repair of the San Fernando Bridge located in Sto. Domingo, Albay that would cost P10 million.

The DPWH said in a statement that the continuous heavy rains in Bicol have prevented them from completing the clearing of road obstructions.

They also installed barricades and informative signs to alert the public. There are also traffic safety officers that man the flow of traffic.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture reported that damage to agriculture commodities and infrastructure caused by Juaning had reached P937.7 million.

Damage to rice crops is currently placed at P202 million, for corn the damage was estimated at P326.6 million, for high-value crops, P14.4 million.

Damage to irrigation facilities is placed at P392.6 million.

For affected livestock, the damage is around P1 million, while the fisheries sector damage is still at P1.1 million.

Heavy rains in Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes and Masbate have affected some 32,621 hectares of rice farms.

Damaged rice in the nine provinces is estimated at 2,957 metric tons, which is just 0.08 percent of the national target production for the third quarter of 3.49 million metric tons (MMT).

Damage to corn is placed at 23,502 metric tons from four provinces, affecting 17,620 hectares, with the loss calculated at just 1 percent of the third quarter corn production forecast of 2.35 MMT.  With Jaime Laude, Evelyn Macairan, Marianne Go