Ambo heads north, leaves at least 2 dead

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Ambo yesterday moved north toward the West Philippine Sea, leaving two dead and bringing heavy damage to agriculture, fishery and infrastructure.

At 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Ambo was estimated at 110 kilometers north-northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported.

It was moving north at 30 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

PAGASA said Ambo is likely to exit the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow (Monday) afternoon as it weakened over the Ilocos provinces.

Ambo, the first storm to enter the country this year, lashed across the coastal towns of Eastern Samar and the Northern Samar provinces, destroying houses of more than 20,000 people who were taken to over 500 evacuation centers.

In Eastern Samar, one death was reported in San Policarpio town, while two sisters were taken to a hospital for injuries from falling debris.

In  Quezon, a 62-year-old woman died after she was hit by a collapsing wall in Barangay San Vicente Silangan, Catanauan. Her 66-year-old husband was injured at the height of  the typhoon, which also battered wide areas of Southern Tagalog and Bicol.

Power and communications were lost while roads were impassable in some towns in Eastern Samar.

Flooding was reported in a town in Northern Samar where houses, infrastructure, fishery and agriculture sustained heavy damage.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) placed the damage in areas battered by the typhoon at P186 million.

The DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center reported that initial damage and losses in the farm sector was at P185.83 million in Calabarzon, Bicol and Eastern Visayas.

The corn sector was hardest hit with damage valued at P88.73 million, affecting 4,492 hectares with 13,554 metric tons, particularly in Camarines Sur and Masbate.

Rice sector damage was valued at P85.63 million, covering 4,687 hectares of rice fields and 4,884 metric tons of produce in Quezon province.

The high value crops sector, including fruits and vegetables, was also hit, with damage valued at P11.12 million.

Northern Samar and Laguna were most affected, the DA said.
Livestock damage was placed at P347,500, affecting 316 heads of animals, with Sorsogon sustaining the most damage.

Moderate to heavy rains

PAGASA said moderate and at times heavy rains would be experienced today over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley and the northern portion of Aurora, Batanes and Babuyan Islands.

Residents in these areas are advised to take appropriate measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and continue monitoring for updates.

Signal No. 1 has been raised over Ilocos Norte, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northwestern portion of Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros) and the northern portion of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna).

PAGASA said sea travel remains risky for all types of vessels in areas under tropical cyclone wind signal. Miriam Desacada, Louise Maureen Simeon, Jaime Laude