‘Carina’ intensifies into severe tropical storm, brings heavy rains
Tropical cyclone “Carina” (international name “Nida”) intensified into a severe tropical storm and made landfall over Cabutunan Point, Cagayan province around 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Carina is packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 120 kph before Sunday noon, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio.
The storm was moving 20 kph westnorthwest and was estimated at 70 kilometers (km) east of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan at around 1 p.m. Sunday.
At around 5 p.m. Sunday, PAGASA said Carina has maintained its strength, as well as its movement. It was moving at 20 kph northwest and was estimated at 30 kilometers (km) south of Aparri, Cagayan.
Tropical cyclone Signal No. 2 remains raised over Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Abra, and Cagayan including Babuyan group of islands.
Meanwhile, areas under Signal No. 1 are Batanes group
of islands, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Aurora.
Aurelio warned areas under tropical cyclone warnings, including the rest of Central Luzon and Northern Luzon, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan against moderate to heavy rains that may trigger flash floods and landslides.
Likewise, fisherfolk were warned from setting sail into the northern, eastern and southern seaboards of Luzon due to rough to very rough seas.
Aurelio said Carina will exit in the northwestern part of Cagayan by Sunday evening and leave the country’s area of responsibility by Monday morning.
However, the storm-enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to bring rains over the western section of Luzon and Visayas at least until Tuesday.
Heavy rains The government has advised northern Luzon residents to brace for heavy rains brought by a new storm and mobilized concerned agencies to prepare relief assistance.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported the storm has intensified and threatens the Isabela-Cagayan area.
“Carina has maintained its strength and poses a threat to Cagayan area. Estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 400-kilometer diameter of the tropical storm,” Andanar said over government radio.
Andanar said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has readied food packs and other relief items for areas on the path of the tropical storm “Carina.”
“Kausap ko po dito si Undersecretary Ric Jalad ng NDRRMC at ang ating Department of Social Welfare and Development at ang kanilang report ay naka-standby po naman ‘yung tulong na maibibigay po ng ating pamahalaan [I talked to NDRMMC undersecretary Ric Jalad and the Department of Social Welfare and Development which reported the government is on standby to extended the necessary assistance],” Andanar said over government radio.
In preparation for the storm, Andanar said nearly 30,000 food packs have been prepositioned in Region 1 and around 1,900 in Region 8.
Stranded in ports The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that as of 8 a.m., a total of 949 passengers, 192 rolling cargoes, eight vessels, and a motor banca are stranded at the ports in Bicol and Eastern Visayas due to the storm.
In the Coast Guard District Bicol, 51 passengers are stranded in the Port of Pasacao, Camarines Sur; 10 in the Port of Virac, Catanduanes; and eight in the Port of San Andres, Catanduanes.
Eleven rolling cargoes, eight vessels, and a motor banca are stranded in the Bicol region.
Meanwhile, 880 passengers and 181 rolling cargoes are stranded in the different ports in the Coast Guard District Eastern Visayas.
According to the PCG, 604 are stranded in the Port of Isidro, 158 in the Port of Jubusan, and 118 in the Port of Looc, all in Catbalogan.
Residents evacuated Earlier, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that preemptive evacuation was implemented in three municipalities of Cagayan.
NDRRMC Executive Director and Civil Defense Administrator Ricardo B. Jalad identified these areas as Benito Soliven, Claveria and Gonzaga.
Class suspensions
In Isabela, Gov. Faustino Dy III has announced a suspension of classes today in high school, elementary and pre- school in all private and public schools.
The announcement was relayed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) as early as Saturday, after an emergency meeting with the provincial government.
Suspension of classes in all levels both public and private schools was also announced in Tuguegarao City, capital of Cagayan.
Flights cancelled
Due to the inclement weather, six domestic flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were cancelled yesterday.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) announced on their social media that as of 2 p.m. yesterday, Philippine Air Lines (PAL) Express’ 2P 2196 (Manila-Laoag), 2P 2197 (Laoag-Manila), 2P 2014 (Manila-Tuguegarao) and 2P 2015 (Tuguegarao-Manila) flights were cancelled due to the bad weather.
Earlier, the Cebu Pacific Air already cancelled their 5J 506 (Manila-Tuguegarao) and 5J 507 (Tuguegarao-Manila) flights. (With reports from Genalyn D. Kabiling, Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos, Martin A. Sadongdong, Liezle Basa Iñigo, and Francis T. Wakefield)