MANILA,PHILIPPINES: Still reeling from the effects of typhoon “Nona,” which left at least 13 people dead and P150-million damage to agriculture and infrastructure, the country faces another storm threat as tropical depression “Onyok” entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) yesterday afternoon.

With Onyok’s entry, two cyclones remain inside the PAR as Nona is expected to remain in the country at least until Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

Onyok, the 15th tropical cyclone to affect the country this year and the second this month, entered the PAR at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said Onyok is now 860 kilometers (km) east of Mati City, Davao Oriental, packing maximum winds of 45 kph as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. It was moving west-northwest at 20 kph.

Aurelio said should it maintain its current speed and direction, the tropical depression could make landfall over Caraga-Davao area by Friday, the day Nona is expected to leave the PAR.

“There is a high pressure area (HPA) north of the tropical depression, which pushes the depression to move to eastern Mindanao,” he explained.

Meanwhile, a slightly weaker Nona has slowed down after drifting slowly across Oriental Mindoro overnight and is now traversing the West Philippine Sea.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Nona was at 70 km southwest of SBMA, Olongapo City, Zambales, with maximum sustained winds of 100 kph and gusts up to 130 kph. It was moving slowly northwest at 7 kph.

PAGASA has already lifted signal No. 3 but signal Nos. 2 and 1 remain hoisted over some areas in Central and Southern Luzon.

Signal No. 2 is still up over Bataan, southern Zambales, Cavite, Batangas, and Lubang Island. Aurelio warned of possible landslides or flash floods in these areas due to moderate to intense rainfall.

Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over Metro Manila, rest of Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Rizal, Laguna, northern Occidental Mindoro, and northern Oriental Mindoro.

Although Nona has already weakened, forecasters warned it could still cause rain of up to 30 millimeters per hour in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, although Oriental Mindoro was expected to not be as badly hit.

METRO RAINS UNTIL THURSDAY

Metro Manila will experience rains until Thursday morning, but the weather condition will improve by Thursday afternoon, Aurelio said.

“Nona will assume a southwestward direction until it exits the PAR by Saturday. It will further weaken to tropical storm by Thursday, then tropical depression by Friday until it becomes a low pressure area on its exit by Saturday,” he added.

By Thursday morning, Nona will be 270 km west of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, and 300 km northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, by Friday morning.

DEATH TOLL RISES

The death toll climbed to 13, from four, after local and disaster officials from the provinces of Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, and Northern Samar reported at least nine dead, while three other fatalities were reported in the provinces of Masbate and Sorsogon, and another one was electrocuted in Quezon City.

The officials expressed concern that the number of casualties would further increase as most of the provinces battered by Nona, some of which remained isolated after telecommunication lines and even power were cut, are still to be completely assessed.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), however, said it was still confirming the number of deaths as it warned that dangers of landslides and widespread flooding still persists in all the affected areas.

Based on official NDRRMC report, the death toll from Nona as of yesterday was placed at two – Pascual Ausente Jr., 31, from Allen, Samar; and Jason Desario, 28, from Matuguinao, Samar.

In Quezon City, Leoly Sison, desk officer of Barangay Roxas District, said Carlo Luceo, 22, was about to return home with his cousins after helping evacuate other residents affected by heavy flooding when he accidentally touched a live electrical wire.

Four people were earlier reported killed in Northern Samar when Nona hit the area. Three of them were killed in floods, while another one (Ausente) was killed by a flying piece of galvanized iron roofing sheet.

Oriental Mindoro Gov. Aurelio Umali said floodwaters rose sharply in parts of the island Tuesday night, forcing residents to climb onto the roofs of their homes.

A barrage of rain in Metro Manila Tuesday night also submerged some roads and caused traffic chaos, although flooding in the megacity of 12 million had subsided by Wednesday morning.

In Northern Samar, two fishermen were reported missing when Nona hit the province, Gamay Mayor Tim Capoquian reported.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

• The Department of Social Welfare and Development provided P42,237,310 worth of relief assistance.

•The Northern Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council is set to declare a state of calamity in the entire province.

• Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon urged more people to volunteer in the wake of the devastation left by Nona.

• Department of Health Region 4-B Director Eduardo Janairo raised Code Blue Alert for hospitals in the Mimaropa region (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan). Under this status, 50 percent of hospital personnel shall report for duty. (With reports from AFP, Francis T. Wakefield, Nestor Abrematea, Betheena Kae Unite, and Samuel P. Medenilla)

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Elena L. Aben And Ellalyn B. De Vera

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