Dodong crosses Northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 over parts of Northern Luzon as Tropical Depression Dodong crossed Luzon yesterday.

Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Kalinga and the northern portion of Isabela.

Dodong was monitored over the coastal waters of Laoag, Ilocos Norte as of 5 p.m. yesterday. It was moving westward at 20 kilometers per hour, carrying maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 75 km/h.

Dodong was forecast to turn northwestward as it traverses the West Philippine Sea today. It may reach tropical storm category as it exits the Philippine area of responsibility by tonight or tomorrow morning.

Once outside PAR, it will move west northwestward over the waters south of Southern China.

Dodong will also enhance the southwest monsoon that is affecting Central and Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The monsoon will bring rains over the rest of Ilocos region, Mimaropa, Zambales and Bataan. Occasional rains due to the monsoon are also forecast over Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bulacan and Western Visayas.

Meanwhile, the monsoon will bring scattered rainshowers over Central Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula, the rest of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon.

The rest of the country may see isolated rainshowers due to the monsoon and localized thunderstorms. PAGASA warned of possible flooding and landslides during moderate to at times heavy rains.

Missing fisherman

A boat with eight fishermen is missing in the sea of Mercedes, Camarines Norte.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard-Mercedes station, the fishing boat named Mutya B left the coast of Barangay 4, Mercedes town with nine people on board on July 11 to fish in the sea east of Camarines Norte.

When the boat arrived at the vicinity of Sulong Bato island on July 12, its engine broke down.

According to CPO Mario Allan Rosales of PCG-Mercedes, the captain of the boat was able to leave and call for help after a small boat passed by and he hitched a ride to shore.

However, when they returned early the next morning, the boat could no longer be found. According to other fishermen, the wind picked up and the weather turned bad at sea during the night.

According to the MDRRMO record of Mercedes, five of the boat’s crew are from Mercedes and three from Lucena City. The boat came from Sariaya, Quezon and only came to fish in Camarines Norte.

The rescue team of PCG and other fishermen from Mercedes are still searching for the missing crew.

Class suspensions

Classes in several areas were suspended yesterday due to the heavy rainfall caused by Dodong and the southwest monsoon.

Under existing guidelines of the Department of Education, classes from kindergarten up to senior high school are automatically suspended in public schools in areas under tropical cyclone warning signals, orange or red rainfall warning and flood warnings.

An orange rainfall warning was declared in Antique and parts of Iloilo (San Joaquin and Miagao) due to the effects of the southwest monsoon.

The local governments of Cagayan, Ilocos Sur and San Fernando in Pampanga suspended classes at all levels, public and private.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas also suspended classes up to senior high school. Meanwhile, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong suspended classes in public and private elementary schools.

Ship runs aground

A motor tanker ran aground in the shores of Morong town in Bataan after being brought by strong waves of tropical cyclone Dodong yesterday.

Motor tanker Lake Caliraya was washed ashore while in the waters off Sitio Crossing in Barangay Poblacion, Morong around 8 a.m., according to the PCG.

The vessel was not carrying any fuel, said the three crew onboard. It was supposed to be sunk by Filipino and American marines, according to PCG spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, but asked to confirm the information from the Philippine Navy.

It was being towed toward Subic in Zambales when its “tow lines snapped due to strong waves, causing it to drift,” the PCG noted.

The agency was rescuing the three crew members as of this writing, while it has ordered its station in Bataan to send a tugboat to tow the tanker.

Cancelled flights

Due to unfavorable weather conditions, Cebu Pacific cancelled flights 5J 504/505 and 5J 506/507, both Manila-Tuguegarao-Manila, the media affairs office of the Manila International Airport Authority said yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said as of 11 a.m. of July 14, Laoag, Vigan and Lingayen airports are experiencing moderate to heavy rains, while Baguio and Rosales airports are experiencing cloudy skies with scattered rain showers due to Dodong.

Also cancelled were Sunlight Air (2R) flights 2R 637/638 from Manila-Busuanga-Manila, and PAL Express (Palex) flight PR2230 Cebu-Baguio.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has placed its regional offices on high alert over possible effects of tropical depression Dodong

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the field offices should ensure that they are “extra ready” to respond to families and individuals who will be affected by possible floods and landslides caused by Dodong. — Sheila Crisostomo, Rudy Santos, Janvic Mateo, Michelle Zoleta, Ghio Ong