'Emong' death toll reaches 36

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical depression “Emong” (international name: Chan Hom) weakened into a low-pressure area yesterday after leaving at least 36 people dead and about P411.24 million in agricultural losses in Luzon last week.

However, weather forecaster Nonoy About of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will continue to bring scattered rain and thunderstorms over the Bicol Region, the Visayas and Mindanao in the next 24 hours.

The ITCZ is a region where the northeasterly trade winds meet the southeasterly trade winds. The piling up of air near the surface due to the converging winds forces the warm, humid air over the tropical oceans to rise.

As the air rises, it cools and water vapor condenses into clouds and rain.

In the next five days, About said improved weather is expected over Luzon, including Metro Manila, with isolated rains or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Emong will no longer affect the country and is expected to dissipate in the next few hours, he added.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, Emong was located 625 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon.

About said no weather disturbance is likely to affect the country this week.

Moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over extreme northern Luzon where coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough, he added.

About added that light to moderate winds blowing from the northeast to southeast will prevail over the rest of Luzon and the rest of the country, where coastal waters will be slight to moderate. 

Officials of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said Emong affected 30,131 families or 140,716 people in northern and central Luzon.

Of these families, 822 or 4,142 people remain in nine evacuation centers, they said.

NDCC executive officer Glenn Rabonza said Emong left agricultural losses pegged at P411,239,802.

Rabonza said the fisheries sector suffered the brunt with P313.871 million losses, followed by high-value crops, P61 million; high-value commercial crops, P5 million; and damage to agricultural facilities, P1.7 million.

Damage to roads and bridges was placed at P24.8 million, and to transmission lines, P4.4 million, he added.

The figures were just culled from an initial damage assessment. There are no figures yet on the typhoon damage on school buildings and health facilities in the affected regions, Rabonza said.

Emong did not cause major sea accidents because of close coordination between shipping firms and the Philippine Coast Guard, PCG commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said yesterday.

28 dead in Pangasinan

In Pangasinan, the typhoon death toll in the first district rose to 28 at noon yesterday, with three people still missing and 21 injured, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) said.

Of the fatalities, 18 were from Bolinao town. Most of them drowned, as their nipa huts were located in the middle of fish pens and fish cages, while others drowned as they continued fishing despite the typhoon warning.

Two villagers died in each of the towns of Agno, Anda and Mabini, and one each in Bani, Malasiqui and Lingayen. Most of them were hit by falling debris.

Damage to fisheries and crops was placed at P680,574,903, but the figure is expected to go up in the coming days.

The PDCC continues to gather reports from the affected areas that remain without power supply and telecommunication services.

Mayor Nestor Pulido of Anda town appealed to the Department of Trade and Industry’s provincial office to look into the sudden rise in prices of construction materials, as unscrupulous businessmen have taken advantage of the situation.

On the other hand, Bolinao Mayor Alfonso Celeste said he was verifying reports that stores have run out of construction supplies like nails, galvanized, iron sheets and hammers.

Mayor Marcelo Navarro Jr. of Bani town, the worst hit in Pangasinan, said Emong has left about 50,000 of his constituents homeless.

Navarro said nine high school and 22 elementary school buildings were destroyed “that’s why we are appealing to the national government to look into the situation here.”

Navarro said the affected families need food, galvanized iron sheets, nails, and pieces of wood.

“We don’t have sources (of funds) anymore,” he said.

Ifugao death toll rises

In Ifugao, Gov. Teodoro Baguilat said he got information on two more fatalities, bringing the death toll in the province to 16.

Damage to crops and infrastructure has reached P200 million, he added.

Baguilat said roads leading to Ifugao were slowly being opened, while efforts to link town centers to barangay roads were slower.

Immediate concerns among the typhoon victims like cash assistance, food and clothing were being prioritized, he added.

Baguilat said the provincial government’s coffers were not enough to cover the damage, which initial estimates placed at P200 million.

“We’re hoping Malacañang will help us (by providing additional calamity funds) since the damage (in the province) is too vast,” he said.

Power supply in the Ifugao towns of Kiangan, Lamut, Lagawe, Hungduan and Banaue and in a number of barangays in other towns has yet to be restored.

As of yesterday, the Lanog Bridge in Barangay Paniki, Bagabag town linking Ifugao to Cagayan Valley remained impassable after its approach gave way at the height of the typhoon.

Portions of the Ifugao-Bontoc mountain road were either damaged or covered by debris. – With Eva Visperas, Cesar Flores, Artemio Dumlao, Charlie Lagasca