'Ambo' leaves 16 injured, 5 missing

MANILA, Philippines - Sixteen persons were injured and five others reported missing as typhoon “Ambo” lashed various parts of Luzon yesterday, disaster management officials said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that nine persons were injured in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) while seven were hurt in Calabarzon.

In San Mateo, Rizal, five workers of Manila Water Co. were injured when they were pinned down by a collapsed bridge foundation. The accident occurred in Barangay Ampid 2 in San Mateo town.

A certain Federico Gutierrez and Cesar Bravo suffered minor injuries after their houses were in the path of a landslide in Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City.

The nine injured persons in CAR figured in an accident that happened in Natonin, Mountain Province.

The victims were passengers of a utility jeep that fell into a ravine at sitio Pammangawao, Barangay Banawel.

Wounded during the accident were Asiw Fiatey, 62; Pablo Dumalsin, 49; Berta Astero, 38; Ruby Astero, 2; John Tamog, 19; Pio Magno, 77; Valentine Tawaran, 61; Josephine Dumalsin, 49; and Ordie Tawaran, 35.

Three of the five missing were from Bicol and one each from Calabarzon and Mimaropa.

The latest to be reported missing is seven-year old Richard Atulan who slipped and fell into Cainta River. Authorities are now searching for the victim.

Also missing is Rommel Largueza, 17, of Sta. Maria in Romblon, who went fishing last Friday but has not been seen since then.

NDRRMC said three residents from Pandan, Catanduanes, namely Romarico Bermejo, Carlito Dequiros and Nelson Panti Jr. have been missing since May 31.

Thirty-two other fishermen were rescued in rough waters off the eastern island of Catanduanes on Saturday, hours after their boat ran out of fuel during the storm, local police said.

Some 36 domestic flights of Cebu Pacific and AiphilExpress to Legaspi, Naga and Caticlan were also canceled due to bad weather in the region.

Meanwhile, two children identified as Princess Beyonce Abrera, 2, and Shawn Mori Abrera, 4, drowned in sitio Kiwit, Barangay Sagrada in Busuanga, Palawan as Ambo moved away from the country.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos, however, clarified that the incident "is not related to Ambo" since the typhoon was already in Batanes when the incident happened.

"The two were last seen playing at the back of their house near the Kiwit River," Ramos said in a text message to The STAR.

The victims' bodies were recovered by search and rescue teams in a mangrove area 200 meters away from the river.

Ramos added that local disaster officials are ready to provide assistance to residents of typhoon-hit areas.

The Army's 9th Division based in Bicol has alerted the disaster response units of the 901st, 902nd and 903rd brigades for possible rescue operations. The Air Force and Navy in Southern Luzon have also been placed on standby.

Ramos said the Social Welfare department offices along the typhoon's path had been alerted and are now closely monitoring the situation in landslide-prone areas.

The government has pre-positioned P1.49 million worth of standby funds and P9.16 million worth of relief supplies for typhoon victims.

'Butsoy'

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, a new low-pressure area was spotted 1,190 kilometers east of Southern Mindanao as Ambo continued to move away from the country, the state weather bureau said.

It is forecast to develop into a tropical depression by Wednesday and be named "Butsoy," which is expected not to cross land and follow the same path as Ambo.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has meanwhile lifted all storm signals but advised students going back to school today to bring umbrellas and other rain gear as rains are still expected to prevail over the country until tomorrow due to the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.

As of 10 a.m., the eye of Ambo was spotted at 320 kilometers east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan, with winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

Ambo, the first tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, was forecast to move north-northeast at 13 kph.

It is predicted to be at 420 km east northeast of Basco, Batanes this morning; at 700 km northeast of Basco by tomorrow morning and at 1,090 km north northeast of Basco by Wednesday morning.

PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando said Ambo is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility and move to Japan tomorrow.

"Ambo is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country," Servando said. But the habagat, enhanced by Ambo, will continue to bring rains, he said.

PAGASA warned residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal number 1 against possible flashfloods and landslides.

PAGASA said Ambo was expected to bring 20 to 30 millimeters per hour of rain (heavy rain) within its 400 km diameter.

"Ambo is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring rains over the whole country especially the western section," it said.

The weather bureau also advised fishermen and operators of small sea craft not to venture into the seas of Southern Luzon and Visayas and the eastern seaboard of Northern and Central Luzon due to the combined effect of Ambo and the southwest monsoon. - With Helen Flores, Rudy Santos