Pagasa delists Labuyo

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will remove “Labuyo” from its list of local tropical cyclone names due to the typhoon’s massive destruction in Luzon this month.

Labuyo (international name Utor) slammed northern Luzon last Aug. 12, leaving damage amounting to P1.4 billion, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

PAGASA deputy administrator Flaviana Hilario said a local typhoon name is decommissioned if losses amount to over P1 billion.

Labuyo was the strongest typhoon to hit the country so far this year. The disturbance left damage in agriculture and infrastructure totaling P1,418,685,679, the NDRRMC said. The typhoon also left at least 11 people dead.

Other names of destructive cyclones that will no longer be used by PAGASA include “Ondoy” (2009), “Milenyo” (2006) and “Reming” (2006).