Thousands stranded as Karen exits; Lawin enters PAR

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Karen stranded thousands of passengers and left at least four people dead as flights were canceled and ships grounded in local ports yesterday.

The weather bureau reported that another storm is expected to enter the country today.

One person drowned, another died of head trauma, while two others died of ailments aggravated by the storm, so far the strongest this year.

Three fishermen were reported missing in Catanduanes last Saturday morning while a male scuba diver was also reported missing in Mabini, Batangas.

PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said over 4,000 passengers were stranded in various ports in Luzon as the typhoon made landfall in Aurora province early yesterday.

He said most of the stranded were in Bicol and Batangas.

Senior Inspector Malou Calubaquib, Bicol PNP spokesperson, identified one of the fatalities as construction worker Rene Magtangob, 39.

Provincial safety officer Gerry Beo said the man drowned in Bato, Catanduanes after being swept by strong river currents.

Beo said a farmer, who was not immediately identified, died after his head hit the ground when he encountered strong winds.

Calubaquib said Felicito Tesorero, 79, died of heart failure in Barangay Buenavista, Bato town; and Rowena Torrepalma, 17, died of epileptic seizure while at the evacuation center in Barangay Cagraray, also in Bato town.

The three missing fishermen from Viga town were identified as Zaldy de Jesus and Luis Tupig, both residents of Barangay Buenavista; and Renerio del Valle of Barangay Tambongon.

Balilo said the still unidentified diver was reported missing off the coast of Barangay Mainit in Mabini.

He said search and rescue operations were launched for the victim.

Landslides were also reported along the national highway due to heavy rain in San Andres and Gigmoto towns in Catanduanes.

Beo said a month’s worth of rain poured Friday as the typhoon approached from the Pacific Ocean, swelling rivers and creeks and flooding low-lying farming villages.

Some 260,000 residents have no electricity in the island province of Catanduanes.

Flash floods also hit Barangay Divino Rostro in San Andres, Catanduanes as well as barangays Bustrac, Sta. Elena and Baras in Nabua, Camarines Sur.

Calubaquib said over 1,000 residents were evacuated in Catanduanes, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.

The PCG said a total of 4,719 passengers were stranded at ports nationwide, mostly in the Bicol region and Batangas, according to latest figures.

The PCG said that 16 vessels, 11 motorized boats, 460 rolling cargoes were not allowed to travel from various ports.

Balilo said vessels were still not allowed to sail until the weather bureau lifts storm signal warnings in the storm-affected areas.

He cited PCG regulations prohibiting sea vessels in ports covered by at least public storm signal number 1 from sailing.  

Flights canceled

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and PalExpress canceled 40 international and 73 domestic flights due to the effects of Typhoon Karen.

PAL said the firm would not operate the flights originally schedule yesterday while Malaysian Airlines flight MH 805 from Manila to Kuala Lumpur was also canceled.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said PAL is doing its best to inform affected passengers (whose contact numbers are available to PAL) of their flight cancellations via email or text notification.

Affected passengers may also call PAL Hotline (02) 855 – 8888, log on to www.philippineairlines.com or visit the nearest PAL ticket office or partner travel agent for their flight rebookings once weather clears.

Re-booking penalties/charges are waived if affected passengers rebook their flights within 30 days from their original flight date or within ticket validity period.

Over 2,500 families or about 12,500 individuals were preemptively evacuated in Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol as Karen made landfall.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is still verifying reported casualties.

NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad said the situation remains manageable and preemptive evacuation of families was conducted.

Jalad said there were five roads rendered impassable but continuous monitoring is being conducted on reports that the typhoon caused rock slides and landslides.

“We were able to determine the amount of rainfall in some areas where there was more than 100 millimeters of water in the past six hours. There are a lot of landslide prone areas in Baler,” he added.

First Lt. Catherine Hapin, spokesperson for the Army’s 7th Infantry Division, said the team of Enlisted Reservist of 1st Ready Reserve Battalion rescued over 50 residents at Malued District in Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

Karen made landfall over Baler, Aurora at around 2:30 a.m. yesterday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds that toppled trees and power lines and ripped off roofs.

The heaviest rain was experienced in Daet, Camarines Norte, registering 199.5 millimeters yesterday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Karen’s strongest winds, meanwhile, hit Baler, Aurora with 180 kilometers per hour, followed by Virac, Catanduanes with 137 kph.

Karen, which weather forecasters described as the most damaging typhoon to enter the country so far this year, moved out of the Luzon landmass yesterday afternoon and is likely to exit the Philippine area of responsibility between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. today.

As of 10 a.m., the storm was hovering over Bolinao, Pangasinan, packing winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph. It is forecast to move west-northwest at 22 kph.

However, the weather bureau warned the people that another storm, with international name Haima, is forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) this afternoon.                     Turn to Page 8

Haima, which will be given the local name Lawin once inside the PAR, is expected to affect Luzon on Wednesday or Thursday.

The new storm had intensified from a severe tropical storm to a typhoon yesterday afternoon.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Haima was located at 1,535 east of Visayas packing winds of up to 160 kph.

Haima will be the 12th tropical cyclone to enter the Philippines this year and the fourth this month.

Weather forecaster Shelly Ignacio said Haima has a slim chance of making landfall based on current forecast.

“Haima is not expected to hit land but will graze Luzon’s east coast,” Ignacio said.

PAGASA lowered yesterday tropical cyclone warning signals in some areas in Luzon affected by Karen as the typhoon continued to weaken.

As of 11 a.m. yesterday, signal No. 2 remained hoisted over Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales and La Union.

PAGASA warned residents in areas under signal No. 2 against possible storm surges.

Metro Manila, which was still placed under signal No. 1, also experienced rains and gusty winds.

Other areas under storm warning signal No. 1 were Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Benguet, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas and Northern Quezon.

Karen will continue to dump moderate to heavy rains in provinces within its 400-km diameter.

PAGASA also warned the public against rough to very rough seas in the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon and the eastern and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon due to Karen.

Mountaineers

In Bataan, 100 mountaineers were rescued after they were stranded in Mount Tarak, Mariveles at the height of the storm.

Senior Supt. Benjamin Silo, acting director of the Bataan police, said the mountaineers are now safe after they were rescued near Barangay Alis-Asin.   

Sixteen tourists were also stranded while trekking Mt. Pulag in Kabayan, Benguet.

Andrew Alex Uy, director of the Cordillera Office of the Civil Defense, told The STAR that the tourists took shelter at camp 3 of the Easy Trail nearest to the Babadac Ranger Station.

Uy said the staff of the Tourism Office, DENR Park Management Bureau and Police personnel of the Kabayan Municipal Police Station provided assistance to the trekkers.

He said park rangers were deployed to Mt. Pulag camp 3 to rescue the stranded tourists.

Classes in all levels in both public and private schools in Muntinlupa City and Nueva Ecija were suspended today due to the effects of the typhoon.

PAGASA said the storm would continue to dump moderate to heavy rains in Central and Northern Luzon. - With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Rudy Santos, Edu Punay, Perseus Echeminada, Celso Amo, Eva Visperas, Raymund Catindig, Ramon Lazaro, Vic Alhambra, AP