Typhoon strands thousands

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte — Thousands of commuters were stranded and three fishermen went missing after Typhoon "Dindo," packing winds of 170 kilometers per hour, skirted the eastern coast of central Philippines yesterday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) traced the center of Dindo (international code name Nida) at dawn yesterday at 60 kilometers east of Catanduanes province, packing winds of 170 kph and gusts of up to 205 kph.

The typhoon was roaring toward the northwest at 19 kph and is expected to pass through the northernmost islands of Batanes by Wednesday, forecasters said.

Sea travel was suspended in a number of eastern provinces, stranding around 11,000 commuters and 79 ferries, officials said.

Coast Guard chief Vice Adm. Arturo Gosingan urged seafarers, especially fishermen, to avoid areas where sea travel has been banned temporarily.

"We appeal to fishermen to follow our advice. The waters in some areas are now too dangerous," he said.

Blanche Gobenciong of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Eastern Visayas told The STAR at least 5,454 passengers were stranded in two ferry terminals in Allen, northern Samar and in Ormoc, Leyte since Saturday morning. She added that these passengers were on board 39 buses, 56 trucks and 173 light vehicles.

In Ormoc City, the Coast Guard disallowed the departure of sea craft bound for Cebu and Bohol, stranding thousands of passengers.

At least 18 ferries servicing routes in the Bicol Region were forced to stay in port, stranding 7,263 commuters, according to the Coast Guard. Rising floodwaters stopped small vehicles and passenger buses.

Public Storm Signal No. 3 has been raised over Samar, the Camarines provinces, Polilo island, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and other parts of Bicol while a Signal No. 2 has been hoisted over the nearby islands and regions.

Storm Signal No. 1 was raised over the eastern provinces of Luzon, the rest of the central Visayas and the northern parts of Mindanao.

Dindo, which is carrying a wide ribbon of rain clouds, cut short a scorching summer season.

Several areas in the country, including Manila, were put on typhoon alert and coast guard and disaster response units were on standby. Weather officials urged people living in flood-prone areas and near mountain slopes to take extra precaution.

Meanwhile, three fishermen from the coastal barangay of Cabuynan in Tanauan, Leyte, have been reported missing since Saturday afternoon. Local policemen identified the three as Leo de la Paz, 38; Jojo Sabedo, 30; and Gilbert Cumpio, 24.

Investigators said the three fishermen went out to sea on board a motorboat at about 3 p.m. last Saturday.

In the town of Can-avid, eastern Samar, one person reportedly suffered serious injuries after floodwaters inundated the low-lying areas in the coastal town.

There were reports of heavy damage to agricultural crops in Samar and Bicol, with strong winds blowing off roofs on wooden houses and huts. There were also disruptions in the power supply.

OCD chief Arnel Capili has recommended that the Bicol Region be declared in a state of calamity after typhoon Dindo flooded many areas and cut off electricity to the whole province of Albay. About 338 people were evacuated from Sorsogon City and the towns of Casiguran, Pilar and Barcelona. Barangay Malabog in Daraga, Albay was flooded and impassable to light vehicles.

The towns of Pili and Bato, as well as Iriga City, were under waist-deep floodwaters.

At the ports of Matnog and Tabaco, 9,847 commuters were stranded after authorities deemed all forms of sea travel to be dangerous.

In Eastern Visayas, Gobenciong said strong winds destroyed the houses of 1,050 families in Can-avid. Some 40 families were evacuated to the town’s public market yesterday.

The municipal disaster and coordinating council of Can-avid town also reported to the Camp Aguinaldo-based OCD that the typhoon damaged P10 million worth of property and destroyed public infrastructure worth P4 million.

In Maslog, Eastern Samar, 45 families were evacuated to the municipal hall after their houses were destroyed by the typhoon. Another 104 families residing in seven coastal villages were also evacuated to higher ground yesterday evening.

Sisinio Quindao, division manager of the National Transmission Corp. in Ormoc City, said in a telephone interview the typhoon damaged power lines in the area, cutting off the supply of electricity to Samar and Biliran island since Saturday morning.

The Leyte towns of Burauen, Abuyog, Dagami, Tolosa, La Paz, Dulag, Javier, MacArthur, Mahaplag, Mayorga, Tabon, Tanauan, and Julita, as well as half of southern Leyte have had no electricity since early Saturday morning, when typhoon Dindo battered the two provinces.

The OCD also reported that landslides hit three villages in Gigmoto, Catanduanes. Authorities said they could not immediately establish communications with barangays Sioron, Sikmil and Simambas, but planned to send a helicopter as soon as the weather improves.

Civil defense officials said the three villages were in immediate need of water, food and temporary shelter, but they had no reports of any casualties or damage.

At the same time, Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) chief Richard Gordon has instructed the organization’s executive staff to ensure the availability of relief goods for immediate distribution to affected families.

He said the PNRC headquarters and all chapters affected by the typhoon will be on alert round the clock to closely monitor the situation and be on hand to respond to the needs of disaster-stricken families.

About 20 storms and typhoons hit the Philippines every year, claiming an annual average of about 500 lives, according to official records. — with reports from Jaime Laude, Celso Amo, AFP, AP