Stronger storm coming
‘Chan-hom’ may likely develop into super-typhoon
Anew and more powerful cyclone, which may likely develop into a super-typhoon, is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) today even as slow-moving tropical storm “Egay” continues to linger in some parts of the country.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said severe tropical storm “Chan-hom” could enter the PAR through the northeastern border today or by Wednesday. Once inside the PAR, it will be given a local name of “Falcon.”
While Chan-hom has a slim chance of making a landfall, it will likely intensify into a super-typhoon while inside the PAR.
But Aurelio said Chan-hom will likely stay inside the PAR for a few hours before moving to southern Japan.
Because of Chan-hom’s strength, the new storm has the capacity to further pull the moisture-laden southwest monsoon toward the landmass of Luzon and Visayas in the next couple of days.
“Expect cloudy skies and habagat rains in the next five days,” Aurelio said.
However, Aurelio said Metro Manila could see an improvement in
weather condition by weekend.
Aurelio said Egay continues to move slowly and could remain inside the PAR until Thursday evening.
Road sections washed out Although no casualty has been reported, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported that that floods and landslides caused by Egay washed out eight road sections in Northern Luzon, rendering them impassable to vehicular traffic, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) yesterday.
DPWH’s Bureau of Maintenance, in a report sent to media, declared the closure of six road sections in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and two roads in Ilocos Region because of massive flooding and landslides.
As of noon yesterday, DPWH said that affected roads in Benguet were Gurel-Bokod-Kabayan Road, K0315-KO316; Gurel-Bokod-Kabayan Road, K0339+000 -K0340+000; and Gurel-Bokod-Kabayan Road, K0341+320.
The other roads that were closed were Baguio-Itogon Road, K0261+330; Shilan-Beckel Road, K0261+000-K0264+000; and Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Rd., K0300+500.
“The cost of damage on roads in CAR amounted to 4.25 million,” DPWH-BOM said. In Ilocos Sur, Egay rendered Tagudin-Cervantes Road, KM333+500 KM335+000 K0942+000 – K0943+000 impassable, it said. State of calamity in La Union In La Union, where the Manila North Road (MNR), Bangar-Luna, KM305+000 to KM306+000 section was closed to traffic, Gov. Manuel Ortega declares a state of calamity.
In Ilocos Norte, A Chinese national was injured when a Chinese vessel ran aground after encountering strong winds in Barangay Torre, Currimao, last Sunday.
Ensign Ma. Valerie S. Lagua, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station based in Currimao, said the crew of foreign vessel were trying to move to a safer place when the vessel was blown by strong winds.
Egay weakens
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, Egay was 200 kilometers northwest of Laoag City. It has slightly weakened with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
It continues to move slowly at 9 kph northward.
Storm warning signal No. 1 remains hoisted over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Batanes, Calayan and Babuyan group of Islands, northwest of Cagayan, and Apayao.
Elsewhere, storm warning signals have already been lifted.
PAGASA continues to warn residents in mountainous and low-lying areas of provinces under public storm warning signals, including the rest of Northern and Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon possible flash floods and landslides.
Although Egay caused flooding in Northern Luzon over thet weekend, water level in Angat Dam in Bulacan only went up slightly, 169.14 meters last Sunday to 169.33 meters on Monday, based on the PAGASA’s data.
However, it is still below the Angat Dam’s 180-meter minimum operating level.
By Tuesday morning, Egay is expected to be 205 km west of Basco, Batanes, and 250 km northwest of Basco by Wednesday morning, and 340 km northwest of Basco by Thursday morning.
Work, classes suspended
Meanwhile, Malacañang suspended work in government offices as well as classes in all levels in Metro Manila yesterday due to bad weather.
The work and class suspension, issued by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. in Memorandum Circular No. 77, was made upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC).
The announcement was made past 3 p.m., a few hours left before the closure of government offices. Several cities in Metro Manila had earlier suspended classes at all levels in view of the inclement weather. (With reports from Raymund F. Antonio, Freddie G. Lazaro, and Genalyn D. Kabiling)