Signals up as Florita makes landfall today

MANILA, Philippines — Northern and Central Luzon provinces are forecast to experience moderate to intense rainfall as Tropical Storm Florita makes landfall in Cagayan or northern Isabela today.

Areas that may have heavy to intense and at times torrential rains include Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes, Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos region.

Moderate to heavy rains are expected over the northern portion of Aurora, Zambales, Bataan and the rest of Cagayan Valley, while light to moderate and at times heavy rains over the rest of Central Luzon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the southwest monsoon will also bring rains over Southern Luzon and Western Visayas.

Because of such conditions, the state weather bureau said scattered to widespread flooding including flash floods and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps, and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall.

PAGASA said Florita intensified from a tropical depression to a tropical storm yesterday morning as it continues to move over the Philippine Sea some 215 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora.

The typhoon currently packs maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 90 kph and central pressure of 996 hPa traveling west southwest at 15 kph.

Areas already placed under signal No. 2 include the eastern portion of Cagayan (Enrile, Tuguegarao City, Peñablanca, Iguig, Baggao, Gattaran, Lal-Lo, Gonzaga, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Santa Ana); eastern and central portions of Isabela (Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, San Mariano, Ilagan City, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Mallig, Roxas, Quirino, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Burgos, Gamu, Reina Mercedes, City of Cauayan, Alicia, San Isidro, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, Dinapigue); extreme northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran) and the northeastern portion of Quirino (Maddela).

Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the rest of Cagayan, rest of Isabela, rest of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, northern and central portions of Aurora (Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis) and the northern portion of Polillo Island (Panukulan, Burdeos).

PAGASA said Florita will continue moving generally west southwestward or westward before turning west northwestward or northwestward and maintain this until it makes landfall in the vicinity of the east coast of Cagayan or northern Isabela Tuesday afternoon.

The state weather bureau said the center of the typhoon will traverse the Babuyan Channel and may pass close to Babuyan Islands tomorrow evening or early Wednesday before emerging over the West Philippine Sea.

PAGASA said Florita is likely to further intensify prior to its landfall while there is a potential for slight weakening as it crosses the northern portion of Northern Luzon due to frictional effects of the rugged terrain, though the tropical cyclone will likely remain a tropical storm throughout its passage over land.

“Outside the Philippine area of responsibility, this tropical cyclone may intensify into severe tropical storm and may reach a peak intensity of 95 km/h,” PAGASA said.

Power, flight agencies

In a statement yesterday, power system operator and transmission service provider National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said it has implemented necessary preparations and precautions to lessen the potential effects of the weather disturbance on the country’s power transmission highway.

NGCP said the preparations include ensuring the reliability of communications equipment, availability of hardware materials and supplies necessary for the repair of damage to facilities, as well as the positioning of line crews in strategic areas to facilitate immediate restoration work.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) alerted its airport area managers in Regions 1 and 2 to prepare for possible landfall of Florita in the next 36 hours.

Airports under CAAP management are Baguio, Laoag, Vigan, Lingayen and Pangasinan, while airports in Region 2 are Bagabag, Palanan, Cauayan, Basco and Itbayat.

As of press time, CAAP airport managers are closely monitoring and conducting inspections at their respective airports.

The Media Affairs Division of the Manila International Airport Authority said as of 2 p.m. yesterday, six domestic flights have been canceled due to bad weather.

PAL Express flights 2P 2919/2920 Manila-Legaspi-Manila and Cebgo flights DG 6111/6112 and DG 6117//6118 from Manila-Naga-Manila have been canceled.

Class openings

The first day of classes had to be cut short in some areas on Monday, following heavy rainfall and storm signals hoisted due to Florita.

According to the Department of Education, at least 800 schools in different parts of Cagayan were affected by the class suspensions.

Under existing guidelines, classes are automatically suspended in areas under public cyclone warning signals: pre-school when signal No. 1, pre-school to senior high school when signal No. 2 and all levels when signal No. 3 and above.

In Albay, Gov. Noel Rosal and Legazpi City Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal suspended classes in all levels in public and private schools effective 11 a.m.

Aurora Gov. Christian Noveras also suspended classes in all public and private kindergarten to senior high school levels in the entire province, except Dingalan.

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba has suspended the opening of classes in kindergarten and elementary levels in the whole province.

He advised all LGUs to implement necessary suspensions for high school and college levels, as well as work, depending on the weather situation in their respective municipalities.

The Cagayan Provincial Information Office said the towns of Baggao, Alcala, Enrile, Lal-lo, Gonzaga, Solana, Aparri and Sta. Teresita ordered the suspension of classes in all public and private schools in all levels, and included the suspension of work in some LGUs on Aug. 22 and 23.

Mayor Maila Ting-Que of Tuguegarao City also ordered the suspension of classes in public and private schools in all levels due to heavy rains and flooding. – Janvic Mateo, Richmond Mercurio, Rudy Santos, Jun Elias, Victor Martin, Evelyn Macairan, Rainier Allan Ronda