Government still on alert for typhoon ‘Henry’

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) is on blue alert status as Typhoon ‘Henry’ is still in the Philippine Area of Responsibility, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said on Monday.

Under the blue alert status, half of the personnel of all regional and municipal disaster risk reduction management offices, regional civil defense offices, and other concerned government agencies in would-be affected areas should be at their posts to monitor the situation.

The areas of concern for this alert are the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya and Batanes.

Lacierda said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is continuously monitoring the situation and disseminating weather bulletins and flood advisories, while the Department of Social Works and Development’s (DSWD) Municipal Disaster Response teams and Social Welfare Assistance and Municipal Development teams are on alert to be readily available for duty.

He noted that a P2,754,274 fund has been set aside and a total of 5,715 family food packs have been readied for distribution to evacuation centers.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), he said, is ready to clear roads in landslide- and flood-prone areas while the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has instructed its regional offices to roll out the pre-disaster risk assessment meetings, and advise governors to participate in such meetings.

The Philippine Coast Guard meanwhile has issued warnings to fisher folks to refrain from venturing into the sea, Lacierda said, adding that military and navy units in Tacloban are standing by for possible rescue operations.

As of 4 a.m. on Monday, the PAGASA has issued public storm warning signal no. 1 over the Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Babuyan and Calayan Group of Islands.

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24 Areas Under Signal Number 3

Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) made landfall over Baganga town in Davao Oriental before 5 a.m. Tuesday, even as 24 areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 3.

 

PAGASA forecaster Bernie de Leon said the typhoon did not immediately weaken upon landfall but may do so as it interacts with the land mass.

 

"Nag-landfall ito 4:45 a.m. sa Baganga," de Leon said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

He said 27 mm of rain (heavy) had been recorded in the first three hours of Tuesday.

 

De Leon said the typhoon's path may include Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Sulu Sea, then exit via Palawan as early as Thursday night.

 

As of 4 a.m., PAGASA said Typhoon Pablo was estimated at 40 km east of the eastern coast of Davao Oriental, with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph.

 

It said Typhoon Pablo was moving at 26 kph and is expected to be 180 km southwest of Roxas City by Wednesday morning.

 

By Thursday morning it is expected to be 230 km northwest of Puerto Princesa City. By Friday morning it is expected to be 780 km west of Metro Manila.

 

source: GMANEWS.tv

List of Cities That Suspended Classes Today

Due to heavy rains in Metro Manila a lot town and cities have suspended classes from Pre-School to High School levels.

List of Town/Cities That Suspended Class Today 

• Quezon City
• San Juan
• Navotas
• Manila

• Pasay
• Caloocan
• Malabon
• Valenzuela

• Mandaluyong
• Marikina (preschool to college)
• Muntinlupa (preschool to college)
• Taguig (pre-school to high school, plus Taguig City University)

• Makati (pre-school to college)
• Pasig (pre-school to college)
• Parañaque (pre-school to college)
• Las Piñas (pre-school to college)
• Pateros

Outside Metro Manila:

• Laguna

• Bulacan, Bulacan (preschool and elementary only)
• Obando, Bulacan
• Malolos, Bulacan
• Marilao, Bulacan (preschool and elementary only)
• Meycauayan, Bulacan

• Angono, Rizal
• Antipolo City, Rizal
• Cainta, Rizal
• Morong, Rizal
• Rodriguez, Rizal (pre-school to college)
• San Mateo, Rizal
• Tanay, Rizal
• Taytay, Rizal
• Teresa, Rizal

• Bacoor, Cavite
• Dasmariñas City, Cavite
• Carmona, Cavite
• Imus, Cavite
• Kawit, Cavite
• Magallanes, Cavite (pre-school to college; public and private)
• Maragondon, Cavite
• Noveleta, Cavite
• Naic, Cavite
• Tanza, Cavite
• Ternate, Cavite

• Alitagtag, Batangas
• Balete, Batangas
• Balayan, Batangas
• Tuy, Batangas
• Lian, Batangas
• Taal, Batangas
• San Pascual, Batangas
• Talisay, Batangas
• M. Kahoy, Batangas
• Ibaan, Batangas
• Laurel, Batangas
• Lipa, Batangas
• Agoncillo, Batangas
• Calaca, Batangas
• Cuenca, Batangas

• Sasmuan, Pampanga

 You can follow DepEd twitter account to get the updated list.

200 Dead From Tropical Storm Sendong

Nearly 200 people have been confirmed killed and scores of others went missing after tropical storm "Sendong" battered provinces in Mindanao with strong winds and heavy rains, officials said today.

The Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Battalion, which was leading the search and rescue operations in Cagayan de Oro City, said that they have recovered a total of 117 bodies as of 4 p.m.

Mayor Lawrence Cruz of nearby Iligan city said 79 bodies were recovered in the city after more than 12 hours of continuous rain swelled a river and sent muddy floodwaters cascading down from nearby mountains.

Cruz said that they never expected the disaster since Iligan City was only under public storm warning signal number one. He said heavy raining started around 10 p.m. on Friday, and the floods came while people were sleeping.

"This is the worst. We've never seen flooding like this ever since the existence of our city," the mayor said.

Cruz said about 150 people were missing in the city after the storm swept through their area and other provinces in Mindanao.

Benito Ramos of the The National Disaster Risk Reductin and Management Council said in a report to President Benigno Aquino III this afternoon that at least 260 people have been reported missing.

Ramos said that he received a report that a village in Iligan City was completely swept by floodwaters.

Disaster officers said three people drowned in Zamboanga del Norte province, west of the two cities.

Teddy Sabuga-a, a disaster officer in Misamis Oriental province, said 60 people were rescued in waters off El Salvador city, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) northwest of Cagayan de Oro, after they were swept to the sea by a raging river, and about 120 more were rescued off Opol township, closer to the city.

He said an island in the middle of the Cagayan de Oro river was inundated, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or people missing.

Cruz said the coast guard and other rescuers were scouring the waters off his coastal city for survivors or bodies that may have been swept to the sea by a swollen river.

The floodwaters were waist-high in some neighborhoods that do not usually experience flooding. Scores of residents escaped the floods by climbing onto the roofs of their homes, Cruz said.

Those missing included prominent radio broadcaster Enie Alsonado, who was swept away while trying to save his neighbors, Cruz said.

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Rains Continues as Falcon Leaves The Philippines

After dumping rains on Metro Manila and other parts of the country in past days, tropical storm “Falcon" (Meari) left Philippine territory early Saturday toward Japan.

But the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned rains brought by the southwest monsoon will still fall over Metro Manila.

“Nasa labas na ito [Falcon] ng Philippine area of responsibility, pero magdala pa rin kayo ng payong at panangga sa ulan," PAGASA forecaster Ben Oris said in an interview on dzBB radio Saturday.

He also said Falcon intensified slightly and accelerated further as it continued to move away from Philippine territory.

PAGASA also hinted there may be no cyclone expected in the next few days.

"No tropical cyclone is expected to affect the [Philippine area of responsibility] in a week but a low-pressure area is expected," it said.

PAGASA’s 5 a.m. advisory said that as of 4 a.m., Falcon was 590 km northeast of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 105 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

It was moving north-northwest at 24 kph and was expected to be 680 km north-northeast of Basco, Batanes or at 320 km west-northwest of Okinawa, Japan.

“[Falcon] will continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon and bring occasional rains over Luzon particularly over the western sections of Northern and Central Luzon," PAGASA said.

Also, it said strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the Western and of Visayas and the Eastern seaboards of Luzon and Visayas.

“Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," it said.

Read more @ GMANews.TV