Southwest monsoon to dump more rains on Metro

MANILA, Philippines -  The southwest monsoon enhanced by typhoon “Karen” will continue to bring rains over parts of the country, including Metro Manila in the next three days, the weather bureau said yesterday.

Administrator Nathaniel Servando of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said occasional moderate to heavy rains will continue to prevail over Central and Southern Luzon and Western Visayas until Wednesday.

However, no low-pressure area is expected to affect the country this week, he added.

Metro Manila will still experience light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy with brief rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Robert Sawi, PAGASA weather division chief, warned of possible flooding in low-lying areas in Metro Manila due to continuous rains.

“We are monitoring a possible cyclone off the Pacific Ocean, but we are not yet sure if it will enter PAR (Philippine area of responsibility) this week,” he said.

Metro Manila experienced intense and torrential rainfall early Saturday due to the southwest monsoon, triggering floods.

Karen (international name Sanba) left the Philippines on Saturday night.

PAGASA warned fishermen in Northern Luzon against venturing into the sea due to big waves.

Northern Luzon, particularly Ilocos Norte and Cagayan, will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, PAGASA added.

Rough to very rough seas will affect the areas with wave heights expected to reach 3.4 to 4.5 meters, PAGASA said.

Karen has left at least one person dead and hundreds displaced.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has identified the lone fatality as Arsenio Bongcales, a 75-year old fisherman from Oppus, Southern Leyte.

The body of Bongcales, who drowned while fishing last Friday, was found after two days.

Karen affected 511 persons or 137 families in Quezon City, San Juan and Valenzuela in Metro Manila, according to NDRRMC.

Of this number, 181 people or 55 families went to evacuation centers, while the rest sought temporary shelter in houses of relatives.

Local disaster management personnel have distributed relief packs to the affected families.

Speaking over radio dzBB, NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said Karen did not cause significant damage to property.

“We expect nine to 10 more storms until November,” he said. “Our preparations are continuous.”

Ramos said every family must prepare a disaster response plan and cooperate with local officials.

“Everyone, not just the government, should be ready,” he said.

The Mindoro West Coastal Road in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro remains impassable to all types of vehicles, the NDRRMC said. As of yesterday, the road cannot be fixed due to strong current.

The NDRRMC discouraged fishing boats and small sea vessels from venturing into the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon and the seaboards of Southern Luzon due to big waves.