Storm nears RP; alert raised

MANILA, Philippines - Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro urged all mayors nationwide to monitor weather forecasts as another typhoon is expected to hit Metro Manila, Central and Southern Luzon on Oct 31 and Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day.

“Please monitor the news, there’s another typhoon coming. Rescue will be difficult if the people are in cemeteries,” Teodoro told mayors who participated in the forum “Mayor’s Agenda for the next Philippine president” yesterday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) yesterday advised residents in Metro Manila, Central and Southern Luzon to brace for heavy rains and strong winds on Saturday as the tropical storm over the Marianas Islands is expected to affect these areas this weekend.

Pagasa deputy administrator Nathaniel Cruz said the storm could intensify into a typhoon before entering the country’s territory on Thursday.

“We can expect a very intense typhoon,” Cruz told The Star in a phone interview.

Teodoro said he and members of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), which he heads, are set to meet on Tuesday night to discuss and set up a plan for the coming weather disturbance.

Teodoro was the first presidential candidate grilled by members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the forum.

About 1,200 of the total 1,511 mayors nationwide were present at the forum.

Cruz also said there was very high probability that the storm, to be code-named Santi once it enters the Philippine area of responsibility, would make landfall over the said areas on Saturday.

He said heavy rains could cause flooding in Metro Manila.

As of 11 a.m. yesterday, the eye of the storm was spotted some 2,200 kilometers east northeast of the Visayas with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

It was forecast to move west northwest at 26 kph.

“There is a high-pressure area north of the storm which prevents it from moving northward,” said Cruz.

He said that as of yesterday, there was only a “10 percent probability” that it would re-curve and spare the country.

Cruz appealed to the public to prepare, especially those who live near rivers and flood-prone areas.

“Let’s pray that it will not hit the country,” Cruz said.

He asked those who are planning to go home to their respective provinces on Nov. 1 to watch out for weather bulletins to be issued regularly by Pagasa before traveling to avoid mishaps.

“We urge those who will travel by sea or air to monitor the latest updates from Pagasa,” Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Cruz said the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) would continue to bring scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over most parts of Mindanao until today. The rest of the country, on the other hand, would have partly cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, Germany will donate 1,000 euros (approximately P70 million) to support the humanitarian efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Philippines.

German Ambassador Christian Ludwig Weber-Lortsch said Germany’s contribution to the ICRC will be used to support the victims of the conflict in Mindanao, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). – With Helen Flores, Pia Lee-Brago