'Auring' veers away from RP

The state weather bureau yesterday lifted all storm warning signals in all areas after tropical depression “Auring” again changed course and moved away from the country.

Auring yesterday switched courses anew from north to northeast and spared the country from possible havoc, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Auring, the first tropical cyclone to enter the Philippines this year, veered north from northwest last Sunday.

Pagasa Director Prisco Nilo, however, said rains would continue to prevail over the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas until today.

He said the rest of the country can expect generally improving weather conditions starting today.

Nilo said the weather disturbance is expected to dissipate while inside the Philippine area of responsibility within the next 12 to 18 hours.

In her wake, Auring left one person dead, two others missing and 30,000 people affected by floods, while 1,200 were stranded in five provinces due to heavy rains and strong winds.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided more than P300,000 worth of food packs to flashflood victims in Northern Mindanao.

In a report, the DSWD said some 6,298 families (29,208 people) were affected by flashfloods in Cagayan de Oro City and Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental last Saturday.

One died in the flashflood while two were missing, the DSWD said.

The fatality was identified as Regenden Andig, 12, a resident of Barangay 24, Gingoog.

The missing were identified as Christine Edruno, 5, and Angel Vencio, 5, both of Barangay Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro.

As of yesterday, a total of 2,290 family food packs worth P371,905 were distributed to 16,160 evacuees or 3,496 families.

The DSWD said four houses were totally damaged in Cagayan de Oro.

It said 19 evacuation centers were set up in the provinces to accommodate some of the affected families, while others chose to transfer to their friends’ and relatives’ houses.

It said its field office in Region 10 is closely coordinating with the concerned local government units for updates and any request for technical assistance.

“The FO (field office) has sufficient standby funds of P292,189.11 and stockpile of relief commodities composed of food worth P77,431.20 and non-food (P413,568.00) ready for augmentation/assistance, whenever necessary,” the DSWD said in a statement.

Philippine Coast Guard Action Center (PCGAC) commander Danilo Abila said that as of 10 a.m. yesterday there were 1,252 passengers who were stranded in six different ports in the Bicol and the Visayas Region.

The bulk of the passengers, numbering 893, were stranded in Catbalogan, Samar; 156 people in Odiongan, Romblon; 110 in Bulan, Sorsogon; 35 in Pilar, Sorsogon; 51 in Pasacao, Camarines Sur; and seven in Roxas, Capiz.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, Auring was spotted some 410 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.

It is forecast to move northeast at 19 kph.

Auring is predicted to be 500 kms east of Virac, Catanduanes this morning; 910 kms east-northeast of Virac by tomorrow morning and 1,330 kms east-northeast of Virac or 1,500 kms east of Tuguegarao City by Thursday evening.

Last year, a total of 21 tropical cyclones entered the Philippines, killing more than a thousand people and affecting over a million families.

The weather disturbances also left damage to agriculture and infrastructure amounting to billions of pesos, according to disaster officials.

Nilo earlier said around 19 tropical cyclones are predicted to visit the Philippine area of responsibility in 2009.

But he said compared to last year, tropical cyclones in 2009 are forecast to be “less intense.”

Appeal for donation

The CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, reported that Fr. Jose Cabantan of the Social Action Center is appealing for donations to the estimated 30,000 people affected by the recent flashfloods in the province.

Cabantan appealed to the public to donate food, clothing, medicine and other materials that would be beneficial to the displaced victims.

They have already announced their appeal through public service announcements read at the end of every Mass last Sunday, the Feast of the Epiphany.

Early donations came from the San Antonio parish under Monsignor Tex Legitimas, the Youth Apostolate of the Immaculate Conception parish in Aluba, Macasandig, while the Chinese community also pledged to provide assistance.

Interested parties may call 857-1192 of the ACCESS office at the Archbishop’s House just beside St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral or the City Administrator Criselda Dayon at 0918-9420096. They also accept cash donations. – With Evelyn Macairan