Storm signals up

MANILA, Philippines - The state weather bureau raised public storm warning signal number 1 over five areas in northern Luzon as Tropical Depression Nando intensified into a storm while moving closer to the country yesterday afternoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hoisted storm warning signal no. 1 over Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, including Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands, Apayao and Isabela.

PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez said the storm was still not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.

However, it will enhance again the southwest monsoon which will bring light to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila and the rest of Southern Luzon in the next few days.

But Perez said the rains to be brought by Nando (international name Kong-Rey) will not be as heavy as the rains dumped by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Maring last week.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Nando was estimated at 270 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was forecast to move northwest at 15 kph.

Nando was forecast to bring heavy to intense rains in areas within its 400-km radius.

Perez said the provinces of Isabela, Apayao and Cagayan including Batanes, Babuyan and Calayan group of islands will have rains with gusty winds and moderate to rough seas in the next 24 hours.

The Bicol region, Mimaropa and Aurora will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Visayas and Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Sea travel is risky over the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon.

Nando is predicted to be at 160 km southeast of Basco, Batanes this afternoon and at 160 km north of Basco by tomorrow afternoon.

By Thursday afternoon, it is expected to be at 420 km north of Basco or at 20 km east of northern Taiwan, outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

However, a new low-pressure area was spotted off the West Philippine Sea yesterday. The weather system, which is likely to linger over the area until Wednesday afternoon, could also enhance the southwest monsoon.

Nando is the 14th tropical cyclone to enter the Philippines this year and the fourth weather disturbance this month.

132 barangays in Pampanga still flooded

In the aftermath of Maring however, 132 barangays in Pampanga are still submerged in floodwater despite better weather over the weekend, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said yesterday.

Pampanga Provincial Agriculturist also reported that 7,910 hectares of rice land are still flooded, affecting 5,308 farmers.

PDRRMC also said the number of casualties in the province reached six, of which four drowned while two were electrocuted.

The rains in the watershed areas in Ifugao and Mountain Province, meanwhile, caused the water height in Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela to rise to 191.95 meters, barely one meter before reaching critical level of 193 meters.

PCSO distributes medical kits in Cavite

In Cavite, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) distributed at least 75,000 family emergency medical kits to flood victims.

PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said the medical kits, which contain medicines for fever, cough, colds and diarrhea, were distributed in evacuation centers where displaced families took refuge at the height of the storm and monsoon rains last week.

PCSO chairman Margarita Juico also said the present PCSO board of directors made it a policy to subsidize the bills of patients who were directly affected by calamities and being treated at government hospitals and healthcare facilities.

PCSO is also coordinating with the National Food Authority for the procurement of 1,000 sacks of rice for distribution in evacuation centers nationwide. Around 1,000 sets of blankets, sleeping mats, and mosquito nets will also be donated. -with Perseus Echeminada, Jose Rodel Clapano, Ric Sapnu, Eva Visperas, Dino Balabo, Raymund Catindig