5 dead as Dodong exits RP
By Helen Flores - PhilStar
Five people were killed yesterday in storm-related incidents as tropical storm “Dodong” headed out to Taiwan and another low-pressure area formed east of Luzon.
An eight-year-old boy and two men were electrocuted in Manila and San Miguel town in Bulacan when they waded in floodwaters, while two boys, aged eight and 11, were buried in mudslides in Angeles City and Olongapo.
At Malacañang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita
announced last night the suspension of classes today in the elementary and high school levels in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Zambales, Pangasinan, and Bataan.
Classes in all levels will resume in areas not included in the latest announcement, although disaster officials said individual schools and local officials may suspend classes depending on the situation in their areas.
Chief weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the low-pressure area would be named “Egay” if it develops into a full blown tropical storm.
Egay would be the third weather disturbance to hit the country in a week as Dodong (international code name Wutip) maintained its strength yesterday as it moved closer to eastern Taiwan.
The first tropical storm Chedeng (international codename Pabuk) entered the country early this week. Both storms induced the southwest monsoon rains that flooded most parts of Metro Manila and several provinces, leaving 11 people dead and forcing the suspension of classes in two days of continuous rain since Monday.
The rains from Chedeng and Dodong ended a three-month spell that dried up dams and farms and threatened water rationing in Metro Manila.
But both storms also induced monsoon rains that left a trail of destruction in most parts of the country.
Both Chedeng and Dodong spawned inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), the weather forecasters noted.
Cruz said weather disturbances that spawn inside the PAR are rather unusual, since low-pressure areas normally develop over the Pacific Ocean before entering the country after two to three days.
“This is something new, hindi ito normal na nangyayari,” Cruz said.
Cruz said the weather phenomenon poses a “dilemma” for disaster managers since they will have a “short lead time” for warnings.
“These storms are much closer to the country before disaster managers can make the necessary precautions,” Cruz said.
As of 10 a.m. yesterday, Dodong was located 260 kilometers north of Basco, Batanes, packing winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It was moving northwest at 19 kph.
Dodong was forecast to be 540 kms northwest of Basco or 210 kms west of Taipei, Taiwan this morning, and 870 kms northwest of Basco or 640 kms west of Taiwan tomorrow morning.
Public storm signal no. 1 is still hoisted over Batanes and the Babuyan Islands.
Chedeng had induced monsoon rains in southern Mindanao, causing a landslide that buried seven houses and killed at least 10 people in Maco, Compostela Valley.
The rains also triggered a landslide in Antipolo City, Rizal as rescue workers pulled five siblings from the rubble of their house after a concrete wall collapsed during the downpour Wednesday.
In Baguio City, a nine-year-old boy was killed in a landslide that buried his family’s home due to incessant rains.
Five killed
Eight-year-old Raymart Cabigting of Simoun St., Sampaloc district was electrocuted after touching a grounded lamp post while wading in knee-deep flood waters in Dimasalang Street, while three others were taken to hospitals for injuries from electric shocks while wading the flooded streets of Dapitan and Concepcion, disaster relief officials said.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) also reported that eight-year-old Archie Elan perished after he was buried by a mudslide along the Abacan river in Barangay Amsic in Angeles City.
Bulacan regional disaster officer Jesus Ragunan reported two people died from electric shock while wading in floodwaters in San Miguel town.
Ragunan identified the fatalities as Protacio Belones of Barangay Kamias and Allan Santos of Barangay Sakdalan.
In Olongapo City, 11-year-old Daren Battaler perished in a mudslide in Barangay Cabalan.
Officials said Battaler was trying to retrieve a fighting cock when he fell into a nearby creek and got buried in mud softened by the incessant rains.
Officials also reported a still unidentified man was injured in a tornado that hit a farming village in San Antonio, Zambales.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said a total of 1,618 families have been displaced by the monsoon rains brought about by Dodong.
Most of the families affected by the floods and landslides were relocated in 19 temporary shelters in Metro Manila and Central Luzon, the areas hardest hit by floods.
A total of 53,120 people from 130 barangays in these regions have been displaced, the NDCC said.
Disaster officials also reported 27 houses were damaged by a tornado that hit Palauig and San Antonio in Zambales.
In Barangay San Miguel in San Antonio, Alberto Radoc was injured after getting hit by debris during the tornado.
Inundated
The monsoon rains inundated several towns in Central Luzon, prompting local officials to declare a state of calamity.
Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza placed the entire province under a state of calamity yesterday.
Mendoza cited the recent emergency cases in the province, which included the hog cholera outbreak, last Tuesday’s tornado in Baliuag town and the floods spawned by the monsoon rains brought about by the two storms, which all occurred within the week.
In Zambales, Gov. Amor Deloso said they were able to rescue yesterday 10 fishermen marooned on a fishing vessel off Iba town.
Zambales disaster officials said the main road leading to San Narciso remains flooded.
Five villages in San Felipe are also under water, as are five in Palauig, and two in Masinloc in Zambales, officials reported.
In Bataan, provincial disaster coordinating council chief Tess Senora said the main road leading to Dinalupihan town remained under water and not passable by light vehicles.
Senora said rising floodwaters prompted the provincial government to evacuate 200 families in Barangay Old San Juan, 30 from Barangay Loakan, and 19 from Sta. Isabel in Dinalupihan.
Pampanga provincial social officer Lucia Gutierrez said strong flood currents frustrated rescue efforts to retrieve 165 families in Barangay Tinajero and another 40 families in Barangay Cabetican.
Gutierrez said Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio sought help from the regional police to dispatch helicopters to rescue villagers in Apalit isolated by the floods.
She said the flooding in the towns of Bacolor, San Fernando and Lubao was aggravated by the collapse of dikes along the Pampanga river.
In Nueva Ecija, some 200 families were also evacuated from Barangays Sta. Arcadia, Imelda, San Juan Acpa and Amihan in Cabanatuan City.
Officials also reported five villages in Gapan remained four feet underwater.
Ten families living along the Abacan river in Angeles City, Pampanga were also moved to evacuation centers as strong currents started to erode the banks. -With Ding Cervantes, Dino Balabo, Ric Sapnu, Non Alquitran, James Mananghaya, Raffy Viray, Nestor Etolle, Cesar Ramirez, AP, Reuters
Five people were killed yesterday in storm-related incidents as tropical storm “Dodong” headed out to Taiwan and another low-pressure area formed east of Luzon.
An eight-year-old boy and two men were electrocuted in Manila and San Miguel town in Bulacan when they waded in floodwaters, while two boys, aged eight and 11, were buried in mudslides in Angeles City and Olongapo.
At Malacañang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita
announced last night the suspension of classes today in the elementary and high school levels in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Zambales, Pangasinan, and Bataan.
Classes in all levels will resume in areas not included in the latest announcement, although disaster officials said individual schools and local officials may suspend classes depending on the situation in their areas.
Chief weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the low-pressure area would be named “Egay” if it develops into a full blown tropical storm.
Egay would be the third weather disturbance to hit the country in a week as Dodong (international code name Wutip) maintained its strength yesterday as it moved closer to eastern Taiwan.
The first tropical storm Chedeng (international codename Pabuk) entered the country early this week. Both storms induced the southwest monsoon rains that flooded most parts of Metro Manila and several provinces, leaving 11 people dead and forcing the suspension of classes in two days of continuous rain since Monday.
The rains from Chedeng and Dodong ended a three-month spell that dried up dams and farms and threatened water rationing in Metro Manila.
But both storms also induced monsoon rains that left a trail of destruction in most parts of the country.
Both Chedeng and Dodong spawned inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), the weather forecasters noted.
Cruz said weather disturbances that spawn inside the PAR are rather unusual, since low-pressure areas normally develop over the Pacific Ocean before entering the country after two to three days.
“This is something new, hindi ito normal na nangyayari,” Cruz said.
Cruz said the weather phenomenon poses a “dilemma” for disaster managers since they will have a “short lead time” for warnings.
“These storms are much closer to the country before disaster managers can make the necessary precautions,” Cruz said.
As of 10 a.m. yesterday, Dodong was located 260 kilometers north of Basco, Batanes, packing winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It was moving northwest at 19 kph.
Dodong was forecast to be 540 kms northwest of Basco or 210 kms west of Taipei, Taiwan this morning, and 870 kms northwest of Basco or 640 kms west of Taiwan tomorrow morning.
Public storm signal no. 1 is still hoisted over Batanes and the Babuyan Islands.
Chedeng had induced monsoon rains in southern Mindanao, causing a landslide that buried seven houses and killed at least 10 people in Maco, Compostela Valley.
The rains also triggered a landslide in Antipolo City, Rizal as rescue workers pulled five siblings from the rubble of their house after a concrete wall collapsed during the downpour Wednesday.
In Baguio City, a nine-year-old boy was killed in a landslide that buried his family’s home due to incessant rains.
Five killed
Eight-year-old Raymart Cabigting of Simoun St., Sampaloc district was electrocuted after touching a grounded lamp post while wading in knee-deep flood waters in Dimasalang Street, while three others were taken to hospitals for injuries from electric shocks while wading the flooded streets of Dapitan and Concepcion, disaster relief officials said.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) also reported that eight-year-old Archie Elan perished after he was buried by a mudslide along the Abacan river in Barangay Amsic in Angeles City.
Bulacan regional disaster officer Jesus Ragunan reported two people died from electric shock while wading in floodwaters in San Miguel town.
Ragunan identified the fatalities as Protacio Belones of Barangay Kamias and Allan Santos of Barangay Sakdalan.
In Olongapo City, 11-year-old Daren Battaler perished in a mudslide in Barangay Cabalan.
Officials said Battaler was trying to retrieve a fighting cock when he fell into a nearby creek and got buried in mud softened by the incessant rains.
Officials also reported a still unidentified man was injured in a tornado that hit a farming village in San Antonio, Zambales.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said a total of 1,618 families have been displaced by the monsoon rains brought about by Dodong.
Most of the families affected by the floods and landslides were relocated in 19 temporary shelters in Metro Manila and Central Luzon, the areas hardest hit by floods.
A total of 53,120 people from 130 barangays in these regions have been displaced, the NDCC said.
Disaster officials also reported 27 houses were damaged by a tornado that hit Palauig and San Antonio in Zambales.
In Barangay San Miguel in San Antonio, Alberto Radoc was injured after getting hit by debris during the tornado.
Inundated
The monsoon rains inundated several towns in Central Luzon, prompting local officials to declare a state of calamity.
Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza placed the entire province under a state of calamity yesterday.
Mendoza cited the recent emergency cases in the province, which included the hog cholera outbreak, last Tuesday’s tornado in Baliuag town and the floods spawned by the monsoon rains brought about by the two storms, which all occurred within the week.
In Zambales, Gov. Amor Deloso said they were able to rescue yesterday 10 fishermen marooned on a fishing vessel off Iba town.
Zambales disaster officials said the main road leading to San Narciso remains flooded.
Five villages in San Felipe are also under water, as are five in Palauig, and two in Masinloc in Zambales, officials reported.
In Bataan, provincial disaster coordinating council chief Tess Senora said the main road leading to Dinalupihan town remained under water and not passable by light vehicles.
Senora said rising floodwaters prompted the provincial government to evacuate 200 families in Barangay Old San Juan, 30 from Barangay Loakan, and 19 from Sta. Isabel in Dinalupihan.
Pampanga provincial social officer Lucia Gutierrez said strong flood currents frustrated rescue efforts to retrieve 165 families in Barangay Tinajero and another 40 families in Barangay Cabetican.
Gutierrez said Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio sought help from the regional police to dispatch helicopters to rescue villagers in Apalit isolated by the floods.
She said the flooding in the towns of Bacolor, San Fernando and Lubao was aggravated by the collapse of dikes along the Pampanga river.
In Nueva Ecija, some 200 families were also evacuated from Barangays Sta. Arcadia, Imelda, San Juan Acpa and Amihan in Cabanatuan City.
Officials also reported five villages in Gapan remained four feet underwater.
Ten families living along the Abacan river in Angeles City, Pampanga were also moved to evacuation centers as strong currents started to erode the banks. -With Ding Cervantes, Dino Balabo, Ric Sapnu, Non Alquitran, James Mananghaya, Raffy Viray, Nestor Etolle, Cesar Ramirez, AP, Reuters
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
5:45 AM
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