Damage from 'Emong' nearing P1 billion

MANILA, Philippines – The trail of devastation left by tropical depression “Emong” (international name Chan Hom) to livelihood and infrastructure in Northern Luzon is nearing P1 billion and still expected to rise, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

Emong, which weakened into a low-pressure area last Saturday, was spotted some 680 kilometers northeast of extreme Northern Luzon at 2 p.m. yesterday.

It is expected to dissipate in the next 48 hours, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said yesterday, after leaving at least 50 people dead, 40 injured and 13 missing.

But Pagasa also said most parts of the country, including Metro Manila, will continue to experience thunderstorms in the next five days due to warm weather.

The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will also bring scattered rainshowers over Eastern Visayas and Mindanao in the next five days although no weather disturbance is likely to develop within and outside the Philippine area of responsibility this week.

As of yesterday, estimated damage to infrastructure and agriculture has already totaled P782 million in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) and Central Luzon.

NDCC reports listed Pangasinan as the worst hit province with P4.02-million worth of infrastructure and P683.3-million worth of agriculture and fisheries destroyed by Emong.

Cagayan Valley incurred P62.2 million in damages to infrastructure and agriculture while the province of Zambales in Central Luzon registered P836,258 losses in agriculture.

The Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) which includes the provinces of Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province sustained P18.3 million in damages in government and private infrastructure and agriculture due to landslides and flooding.

Defense Secretary and NDCC chair Gilbert Teodoro Jr. is now coordinating with the national government for the fast tracking of road clearing and rehabilitation operations by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and military engineers.

The NDCC, through its various line agencies, is continuously extending humanitarian assistance to the 34,628 families or 161,020 persons from 364 affected villages displaced by Emong in Northern Luzon.

As of yesterday, Teodoro said that the NDCC’s cost of assistance in the form of food, medicine and relief goods like clothing, mats and blankets, to the affected residents has already amounted to P2.3 million.

Extreme heat

Pagasa weather forecaster Nonoy About said the rains over some parts of Metro Manila yesterday afternoon were caused by extreme heat in the metropolis and not by a weather disturbance.

“We can expect local thunderstorms to affect Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon in the next five days,” About said.

“It will be warm and sunny all morning, but expect some rains in the afternoon or evening.”

Thunderstorms occur anywhere that warm moist air has absorbed enough heat to make the air less dense than the surrounding air.

Thunderstorms commonly occur along cold fronts, but can occur in other places as well, particularly where daytime heating forms hot air near the Earth’s surface.

As the warm moist air rises it begins to cool and water begins to condense into tiny droplets that form clouds.

34,628 families affected

Director Leopoldo Bataoil, chief of the Philippine National Police-Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO), said of the 50 casualties from Emong, 24 were in Pangasinan; 16 in Ifugao; three in La Union; two in Nueva Viscaya; two in Cagayan, one each in Isabela, Bataan and Zambales.

Citing reports from the Regional Disaster Coordinating Councils (RDCCs) and Provincial Disaster Coordinating Councils (PDCCs), Bataoil said there were 25 reported injured in Pangasinan and 13 in La Union.

Meantime, 13 persons remain missing due, three from Pangasinan, nine from Cagayan, and one from Ifugao.

The NDCC said a total of 6,082 residences were damaged, with the highest toll in Cagayan Valley.

Also, a total of 17,311 houses were affected within Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and CAR.

NDCC said 34,628 families were affected in the provinces of La Union, Panagasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Quirino, Cagayan, Zambales, Pampanga, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Benguet.

Pangasinan has the highest toll with 18,380 families affected; La Union, 8902 families; and Cagayan Valley, 4,728 families.

State of calamity

The province of La Union was declared under a state of calamity yesterday after the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) validated the extent of damages brought by typhoon Emong.

“We declared a state of calamity so we can avail of the calamity fund that we will use to help the affected families. Tomorrow, we will convene a meeting with concerned agencies so we can immediately plan for the rehabilitation of affected areas,” said provincial board member Vicky Aragon.

In a related development, a management executive and the crew of a motorized boat are now the subject of an investigation after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) discovered that the vessel, which encountered engine trouble and requested for assistance, might have violated safety regulations and is guilty of overloading.

PCG Palawan district commander Captain Joel Garcia reported that the rescue teams that were dispatched to help the M/L Ric-Ric were reportedly surprised to see 84 people on board, when only 60 people were supposed to have been in the vessel. – With Helen Flores, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan, Jun Elias