'Butchoy' moves closer to Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical storm “Guchol” moved closer to the Philippines yesterday but state weather forecasters said it is not expected to directly hit any part of the country.

Guchol, which will be given the local name “Butchoy” once it enters Philippine territory, was unlikely to make landfall, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

However, PAGASA said Butchoy may enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Luzon and Western Visayas until early next week.

PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando in a text message to The STAR said the storm was expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility today or tomorrow.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, the storm was spotted at 1,390 kilometers east of northern Mindanao, packing winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was forecast to move west-northwest at 15 kph.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon and a shallow low pressure area off Mindanao will continue to bring rains over some parts of Luzon and Mindanao in the next few days.

The shallow low pressure area was located at 210 km east of Northern Mindanao as of 8 a.m. yesterday.

The weather bureau also reiterated its warning to fishing vessels and small sea craft in Luzon and Visayas not to venture out to sea due to strong winds.

It said strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and the western seaboard of Visayas.

7 dead, 13 missing

The low pressure area that affected various parts of the country had left seven people dead and 13 others missing, according to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said five of the fatalities were from a passenger cargo vessel that capsized in El Nido, Palawan at around 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Two others drowned in a flash flood in Glan, Sarangani. The Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID) identified the fatalities as Segapo Talangin, 61, and Rolando Mata, 45. The bodies of the two fishermen were retrieved by soldiers and policemen during a rescue operation.

Maj. Jake Obligado, civil-military operations officer of the10th ID, said rescuers are still searching for 13 people in Sarangani.

“Of the 88 declared missing in Sarangani, 75 were already rescued and a total of 568 families were affected,” Obligado said.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said they received reports that several fishing boats sank off Sarangani, Cavite and General Santos due to bad weather.

PCG spokesman Lt. Com. Armand Balilo said they issued a notice to mariners requiring vessels passing in the affected areas to be on the lookout for the missing fishermen and provide them immediate assistance.

The shallow low pressure area in Southern Mindanao also spawned flash floods in barangays Pangyan, Big Margus and Cross in Glan town, which was placed under a state of calamity.

US State Department issues typhoon alert

Meanwhile, the US State Department has alerted its citizens to the hurricane and typhoon seasons in the country and recommended that they begin preparations.

The travel alert, which covers the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, was issued last June 6 and posted on the US embassy website.

US nationals were advised to consult the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, the National Weather Service’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) Tokyo - Typhoon Center for information on typhoon warnings.

The travel alert noted that US citizens were forced to delay travel due to infrastructure damage to airports and limited flight availability during typhoons.

“If you are living close to the ocean or other bodies of water, you may be at higher risk of flooding. Landslides and mudslides also are serious concerns during heavy rains,” the travel alert said.

The alert also cited reports of looting and sporadic violence in the aftermath of natural disasters.

If a situation requires an evacuation from an overseas location, the travel alert said the State Department will work with commercial airlines to ensure that US citizens are repatriated as safely and efficiently as possible.

The State Department does not provide no-cost transportation, but has the authority to provide repatriation loans to those in financial need.

-With Evelyn Macairan, Pia Lee-Brago