Seniang brushes northern Cebu

Northern Cebu has been placed under Storm Signal no. 3 while signal Storm Signal no. 2 has also been raised in the rest of Cebu as tropical storm Seniang maintained its strength after making landfall over Eastern Samar yesterday noon and continued on to hit Tacloban City in Leyte, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Seniang, packing winds of 120 kilometers per hour with gusts of up to 150 kph, continued to move west-northwest at 22 kph and was expected to hit Bantayan Island early yesterday night.

The storm's approach prompted the cancellation of the summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and East Asian leaders set to be held in Cebu and also caused the forced evacuation of some 15,000 people in Albay province, where mudslides triggered by typhoon Reming little more than a week ago buried villages and left more than 1,200 people dead or missing around Mayon volcano.

As of 5:00 p.m. yesterday, Masbate, Romblon, Northern and Eastern Samar, Leyte and Southern Leyte, Biliran, northern Cebu, northern Negros, northern Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Dinagat Island have been placed under Storm Signal no. 3, meaning winds of 100 to 185 kph.

Storm Signal no. 2 (60-100 kph winds) is up over Sorsogon, Albay, Burias Island, the Mindoro provinces, the rest of Iloilo, Antique, the rest of Negros, Guimaras, Bohol, Cuyo Island, Siargao Island and the rest of Cebu.

Catanduanes, Camarines sur, Marinduque, Siquijor, northern Palawan, Surigao del Norte and Camiguin Island are under Storm Signal no. 1 (30-60 kph winds).

By Sunday afternoon, Seniang is expected to be 50 kilometers southeast of Coron, Palawan, moving to 310 kilometers west of there by Monday afternoon.

By Tuesday afternoon, the storm is expected to out of the country and over the South China Sea.

Residents in places under storm signals are alerted against flashfloods and landslides while coastal residents have been advised to seek higher ground because of possible storm surges or big waves.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday ordered people living in the low-lying areas to evacuate instead of waiting for Seniang as rising river levels are dangerous.

Osmeña also alerted the residents of "high-risk" barangays Mabolo, Hipodromo and Lahug, and the residents living in the coastal barangays and along the Guadalupe River.

He said he is more particularly concerned with Mabolo residents after a mother, her three children and two other women drowned earlier this year after their wall next to the rain-swollen Sindulan River gave way and let water in.

Residents in coastal areas in barangay Ermita are to be relocated to the Cebu City Sports Complex while those living in other coastal barangays will be evacuated to their respective sports centers.

Meanwhile, power blackouts were experienced in northern towns of Cebu, from Danao City up to Daan Bantayan after the Cebu Electric Cooperatives cut off power lines in Catmon town to prevent accidents and possible damage of their facilities and lines from Seniang. - Jasmin R. Uy, Jose P. Sollano, Garry B. Lao and Norvie Misa