Tropical Depression Usman maintains course, threatens Eastern Samar

MANILA, Philippines — Slow-moving Tropical Depression Usman maintained its course yesterday as it continued to threaten Eastern Samar.

Usman, the 21st tropical cyclone to enter the Philippines this year, was expected to make landfall over Eastern Samar last night or early this morning.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Usman was spotted at 285 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, packing winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph.

It was almost stationary, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

As of 5 p.m., Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Northern Palawan, including Calamian and Cuyo Groups of Islands, southern Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands, southern Occidental Mindoro and southern Oriental Mindoro.      

Signal No. 1 was also up in Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Cebu, including Camotes Islands, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, Northern Negros Occidental and Dinagat Islands.         

Areas under Signal No. 1 were expected to experience winds of 30 to 60 kph and intermittent rains within 36 hours.

PAGASA said moderate to heavy rains were expected over Bicol region, Eastern Visayas and Quezon, while light to moderate with occasional heavy rains are expected over Metro Manila, Mimaropa, Aurora and the rest of Calabarzon and the Visayas last night.         

The weather bureau said moderate to heavy rains would prevail over Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol region while light to moderate with at times heavy rain will prevail over the Visayas and Aurora today.         

PAGASA reiterated its warning against possible flooding and landslides and advised residents in affected areas to coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices.

The agency also advised fishermen and those with small sea vessels not to venture out over the seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1 and the seaboards of Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon and eastern seaboard of Surigao provinces due to the strong winds brought by Usman and the surge of the northeast monsoon.

Usman was expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility between Sunday night and Monday morning.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director and Office of Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad advised residents in low-lying areas to prepare for pre-emptive evacuation.

Citing reports from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, NDRRMC spokesman Edgar Posadas said Usman may trigger landslides and floods in 8,722 barangays.

Stranded passengers

At least 20,000 people were stranded at port due to the bad weather, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

The PCG said 665 passengers were stranded in Central Luzon and National Capital Region; Central Visayas, 2,074; Southern Tagalog, 3,479; Western Visayas, 913; Bicol region, 7,793; Eastern Visayas, 4,511; Northern Mindanao, 118 and Southern Visayas with 804 stranded passengers.

Sea vessels were not allowed to travel in different ports nationwide due to Usman, the PCG said.

But rains brought by Usman were not enough to mobilize deposited volcanic materials at the slope of Mayon Volcano, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) said.

“Usman’s rains in Albay are not strong enough to trigger lahar flows over Mayon Volcano. In our established computation, it needs at least 60 millimeter-per-hour rainfall for a lahar flow to happen,” Apsemo chief Cedric Daep told The STAR.

Daep added that the prevailing northeast monsoon would not be affected by Usman because it is stronger than the tropical depression. – With Evelyn Macairan, Cet Dematera