Inday intensifies, to bring more rains
Tropical Storm Inday has slightly intensified as it moves east-northeast over the Philippine Sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.
At 3 p.m. yesterday, the center of the storm was estimated at 1,025 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes.
With maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, Inday (international name Ampil) is moving northeast at 25 kph.
PAGASA said the southwest monsoon (HABAGAT) enhanced by Inday will bring intermittent moderate to heavy monsoon rains over the Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan and Babuyan Group of Islands, and scattered light to moderate, with at times heavy rains, over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon until tomorrow.
PAGASA advised residents of these areas, especially those living in low-lying and mountainous areas to take appropriate actions against possible flooding and landslide, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and continue monitoring for updates.
Disaster officials said four towns in the Cordillera region were hit by landslides due to the heavy monsoon rains since Tuesday. The regional Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said the towns of Atok and Tublay in Benguet, Asipulo and Hingyon in Ifugao and Barangay Guina-ang in Bontoc, Mountain Province were hit by landslides.
A teacher was killed when their vehicle was hit by landslide along the BontocBanaue Road early yesterday.
Luisa Pelew, a teacher at Guina-ang Elementary School, perished after the van she was riding was crushed by a boulder rolling down the slopes of the road.
Her husband, Bontoc councilor John Pelew was injured along with Radyo Natin employee John Tay-og, officials said.
In Central Luzon, officials said the Bustos Dam in Bulacan is continuously releasing excess water since Tuesday due to the heavy monsoon rains.
The floods also forced the suspension of classes in the towns of Paombong, Obando, Calumpit, Bocaue, Marilao, Norzagaray, Malolos, Hagonoy and San Miguel.
The Bulacan regional disaster office also reported six barangays in Meycauayan are still flooded. Some 15 villages in Calumpit are also inundated.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said the number of affected families by the heavy monsoon rains has increased to 40,253 families or 162,007 individuals in 194 barangays in Regions 3, 6, National Capital Region, Region 4-A and Region 4-B.
Some 858 families or 3,128 persons are staying in 42 evacuation centers in Region 3, NCR, Regions 4-A and 4-B while 33,119 families or 142,399 persons are currently staying with their relatives and friends in Regions 3 and 6.
The OCD reported the monsoon rains triggered 11 incidents of landslides, collapsed structures, destroyed houses and widespread flooding over the country’s six regions.
The days of inclement weather induced by storms Henry and Inday also affected 19,612 families or a total of 71,310 individuals, the OCD said.