Pagasa warns of flooding, landslides

Tropical storm “Mina” (international codename Mitag) has intensified into a typhoon as it moves closer to the country threatening massive floods and landslides, state weather forecasters said yesterday.

Chief weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Mina is likely to gain more strength threatening the coastal areas of eastern Luzon.

As of 10 a.m., Mina was located 490 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes province with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 150 kph.

The storm is moving in a western direction at 15 kph, Pagasa said.

Cruz said Mina is likely to intensify further and directly hit the Bicol region on Saturday.

Cruz added there was a possibility the weather disturbance would change course and move west-northwest towards central and northern Luzon.

If this happens, Mina will make landfall over Aurora-Isabela area by Sunday morning, he said.

Public storm warning signal no. 2 was hoisted over Catanduanes while signal no. 1 was up in Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Polillo Island and Northern Samar.

Cruz stressed the high potential for storm surge, floods and landslides in all affected areas.

Mina will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon (amihan) and bring moderate to heavy rains over the eastern parts of the country, he said.

Strong winds and high waves are also expected to affect seaboards of Luzon and eastern sections of Visayas and Mindanao as the typhoon moves closer.

Typhoon “Lando” (international codename Hagibis), on the other hand, has maintained its strength as it continued to move away from the country.

As of 10 a.m. yesterday, Lando was spotted at 180 kms west-southwest of Pagasa Island, packing winds of 105 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph. It was forecast to move west-northwest at 11 kph.

Lando was forecast to be at 260 kms west-southwest of Pagasa Island this morning.

Storm signal no. 1 remains hoisted over Kalayaan Group of Islands.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said Lando left a total of 13 people dead in its wake and 11 others injured. Six are still reported missing.

A total of 5,045 families from the 12 provinces of Regions V, VI, VII, X and Caraga has been displaced by the typhoon.

The damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by the typhoon was placed at P146.82 million, the NDCC said.

Bracing for the worst

With Mina fast approaching, the government has ordered the evacuation of thousands of people in the Bicol region which is expected to bear the brunt of the storm.

Disaster officials said about 800 families, or 4,000 people, already have moved to temporary shelters in four towns in Albay province and one town in nearby Sorsogon.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has sent relief goods to Bicol which are to be distributed to relocated families.

Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said relief goods include 5,000 food and 5,000 clothing packs to be distributed when necessary. One hundred pieces of family tents were also provided.

At least 200,000 people needed to be evacuated in the province which last year bore the brunt of typhoon “Reming” that triggered flash floods and unleashed tons of volcanic debris, wiping out entire communities and killing more than 1,000 people, according to Office of Civil Defense (OCD) deputy chief Anthony Golez.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the government is making efforts to evacuate more than 53,000 people in flood-prone areas today.

Salceda has ordered the suspension of classes so some schools can be used as temporary shelters.

Cedric Daep, executive officer of the provincial disaster office, said full evacuation of the most threatened communities along the coastline and in the foothills of the Mayon volcano began yesterday.

“It’s been raining for many days in some areas, and these are ripe for landslides,” OCD administrator Glenn Rabonza said.

Rabonza warned that storm surges from a powerful typhoon could generate waves 3-10 meters (10-30 feet) high that could wreak havoc on coastal villages.

OCD regional director Bernardo Alejandro said they have identified 528 families, or 2,195 persons from the town of Camalig which should be immediately evacuated.

Alejandro said they expect to evacuate 10,076 families or at least 50,000 people living on the slopes of Mt. Mayon until today.

He said Camarines Sur has already evacuated 2,235 people.

President Arroyo, worried about a repeat of last year’s disaster caused by Reming, has ordered mass evacuations in the typhoon’s expected path and cut short her trip to Singapore, where she was attending an ASEAN summit.

Mrs. Arroyo proceeded to visit Surigao and Iligan City and other areas in northern Mindanao ravaged by typhoon Lando and oversee relief operations and assess the damage.

From Cagayan de Oro City, Mrs. Arroyo flew to Iligan where she was briefed by Mayor Lawrence Cruz on the extent of damage and ongoing relief operations.

“Although saddened by this event, we stand united in the face of calamities,” Mrs. Arroyo told local officials in Iligan.

Mrs. Arroyo announced that she will make available some P6 million in emergency assistance for the flood victims coming from the President’s social fund.

The city government had released another P6 million from its calamity fund, according to Mayor Cruz.

More rains coming

Pagasa Climatology and Agrometeorology chief Flaviana Hilario said the typhoons indicate the prevailing “moderate” La Niña phenomenon which is already affecting some parts of the country.

As of Nov. 20, Hilario said more than 200 percent of rainfall has been received all throughout the country, and of this total amount of rainfall more than 160 percent was recorded in Mindanao.

The increasing amount of rainfall prompted disaster officials to issue warnings of flooding in low lying areas in Bulacan as the Angat Dam continues to release water after its spilling level was breached since Tuesday.

Rodolfo Santos, of the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Coordinating Office (PDCO), said local officials in Bulacan have been advised to warn residents of possible flooding.

“There’s no flooded area yet in Bulacan but we are looking at the possibilities that low lying areas will be submerged as the Angat Dam continues to release water and typhoon Mina appeared to have a landfall on Central Luzon,” Santos said.

The water elevation at the Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan climbed to 215.52 meters from 214.48 meters recorded on Wednesday, even after its floodgates were opened to ease the pressure.

Both recorded water elevations are above the 210 meter spilling level, officials said.

Ramon Araja, of the Flood Forecasting and Warning System for Dam Operations (FFWSDO) of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) said the continuous rains in recent days forced them to open the floodgate by a meter on Wednesday to gradually ease the pressure on the dam. – With James Mananghaya, Dino Balabo, Edith Regalado, Celso Amo, Lino dela Cruz, Edu Punay, AP