Queenie moves away; new low-pressure area spotted off Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical storm Queenie continued to move away from the country yesterday after leaving at least three people dead, but state meteorologists warned a new weather disturbance was spotted east of Mindanao.

Queenie intensified from a tropical depression to a storm while hovering over the West Philippine Sea yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

The center of Queenie was located at 420 kilometers west northwest of Puerto Princesa City as of 4 p.m. Friday, packing winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was forecast to move west northwest at 26 kph.

PAGASA has lifted the storm warning signals in areas affected by Queenie yesterday afternoon.

The agency, however, continued to warn coastal residents of Palawan, especially those in the western section, against big waves generated by the storm. 

Queenie, the 17th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, was expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility last night. It was forecast to be at 1,020 km west northwest of Puerto Princesa City this afternoon and 1,725 km west northwest of Puerto Princesa or in the vicinity of Cambodia tomorrow afternoon.

Death toll rises to four

The number of fatalities has risen to four and more than 6,000 persons have been displaced by Queenie, officials said yesterday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 6,164 persons, or 1,274 families, in Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao are still inside 31 evacuation centers.

The evacuees were residents of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Misamis Oriental, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Island. Local disaster management units are now providing assistance to the affected residents.

The latest fatalities died of drowning and were identified as Cesar dela Cerna, 59, of Lilo-an, Cebu and Roque Sandoval, 66, a transient fisherman from Mindanao whose body was recovered in Jagna, Bohol.

Other fatalities were from Cebu and were identified as Alona Baldado, who died of drowning in Malabuyoc and Rosito Gavas, 66, who died of chest injury in President Carlos Garcia town.

Nine persons were reported missing but only six have been identified so far namely Feleciano Looc, 45 of Oslob, Cebu; Adrian Sagrado, 25, of Ubay, Bohol; Robinson Cebellos, 32, of Jagna; Sunny Boy Deguitos of Ayungon, Negros Oriental, and Honeylyn and Jay-an Andales of Tayasan, Negros Oriental.

The missing persons were swept by flood or caught by big waves and winds.

Three other missing persons were only known by the nicknames “Michael,” “Joker,” and “May-may.”

At least three persons were injured namely Bonifacio Achas, Esmeraldo Sajol and Pachico Galope, all from Bohol. 

NDRRMC said at least 477 houses have been damaged in Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Caraga regions as of yesterday.

Queenie also destroyed five foot bridges in Malitbog, Bukidnon and rendered the Tampocon Bridge in Ayungon, Negros Oriental impassable.

The weather disturbance caused water interruption in Barangay Poblacion in Malitbog in Lanao del Norte.

Hundreds of passengers were also stranded in both Negros Occidental and Iloilo after sea vessels suspended operations as directed by the Philippine Coast Guard.

Meanwhile, a new low-pressure area (LPA) was located at 480 km east of General Santos City as of 4 p.m. yesterday.

The LPA was forecast to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over the eastern and central Visayas and Mindanao within the next 24 hours, PAGASA said.

PAGASA senior weather forecasters Robert Sawi and Rene Paciente said the LPA has a slim chance of intensifying into a tropical cyclone. 

PAGASA said Western Visayas, the Bicol region and Palawan will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms this weekend. 

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, it said. – With Alexis Romero, Danny Dangcalan