MANILA, Philippines - Lando has been removed from the list of names of typhoons after wreaking havoc in the country.
The name Lando has been “decommissioned” and will be replaced by “Liwayway,” according to Robert Sawi, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assistant weather services chief.
The official death toll from Lando is 47, with 83 injured and four still missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The NDRRMC said Lando destroyed nearly P9.9 billion worth of crops, livestock and infrastructure, making it one of the strongest to hit Luzon in five years.
Decommissioning the names of destructive typhoons from the operational list is a systemized practice of the weather agency.
Removing names from PAGASA’s list of tropical cyclone names depends on the cost of damage to properties and infrastructure, which should amount to P1 billion and/or over 300 lives lost.
Replaced names are still recorded for historical data or for future references, PAGASA said.
Early this year, PAGASA decommissioned the names of five destructive tropical cyclones that hit the country in 2014.
PAGASA has replaced the names Glenda, Jose, Mario, Ruby and Seniang with Gardo, Josie, Maymay, Rosita and Samuel.