‘Egay’ gains strength

Typhoon “Egay” (international name Sepat) gained more strength yesterday as it continued to move northwest toward Taiwan, state weather forecasters said.

Weather specialist Ludy Alviar of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) stressed Egay could intensify into a super typhoon, with winds up to 215 kilometers per hour, within the next 24 hours but is less likely to make landfall in any part of the country.

Egay is expected to pass near the Batanes group of islands tomorrow before churning toward southern Taiwan and mainland China.

Weather specialist Bobby Rivera said Egay will continue to induce the southwest monsoon (habagat) that will bring more rains over Luzon and Visayas on the weekend.

Egay was roaring over the Pacific Ocean about 500 kilometers east of northern Luzon with sustained winds of 185 kms per hour and gusts of up to 220 kph, the strongest storm to threaten the country this year, forecasters said.

Monsoon rains induced by Egay killed a crewman of a Chinese fishing boat after he hit his head on a steel railing of the boat in rough seas in Manila Bay.

Coast Guard identified the fatality as Wang Ming Bu, of the Chinese fishing vessel Oriental Marine.

Officials said Wang succumbed to head injuries as the crew sought sanctuary at Pier 13 of the South Harbor in Manila.

The Coast Guard also reported hundreds of passengers in Batangas and Bicol were stranded after ferry services were suspended due to strong winds and rough seas.

Local officials in San Mateo, Rizal ordered the forced evacuation of some 20 families living in Purok Dos Butong Palay, Barangay Silangan.

San Mateo Mayor Rafael Diaz said the heavy rains Wednesday caused a landslide in the area that left nine houses badly damaged.

Diaz said the evacuation was ordered as authorities anticipate heavy downpour on the weekend as typhoon Egay continues to gather strength.

The monsoon rains flooded many parts of Metro Manila on Wednesday, causing monstrous traffic jams and forcing the suspension of classes and government work. Schools remained closed yesterday due to fear of more rains.

President Arroyo’s convoy was caught in a “nightmarish” traffic jam in Makati City, causing her to be an hour late for a Wednesday morning event.

Also Wednesday, Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino was forced to abandon his limousine, which got stuck in Manila traffic for about two and a half hours, and hop into a pedicab as he scrambled to reach Malacañang to receive a film award at a separate event.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Egay was spotted 420 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan or 480 kms north northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, packing winds of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of 250 kph.

The typhoon was moving northwest at 15 kph in the general direction of the Batanes-Taiwan area.

Pagasa said Egay is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday.

Storm warning signal no. 2 was hoisted over Batanes and signal no. 1 over Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, Isabela and Catanduanes.

Coastal areas in the north should be on alert “against big waves and storm surges generated by this typhoon,” Pagasa said in an advisory.

It warned that those living near mountain slopes and low-lying areas should take precautions against possible flash floods and landslides.

More than 220 people were evacuated Wednesday by Army troops and firefighters from their flooded homes, mostly in the flood-prone cities of Marikina, Malabon and San Juan, the National Disaster Coordination Council (NDCC) said.

Back-to-back storms set off landslides and inundated many agricultural regions of Luzon last week, killing at least eight people, according to the Office of Civil Defense. -With Edu Punay, Non Alquitran, AP, AFP