'Juaning' triggers floods, landslides, accidents

MANILA, Philippines - At least 10 people died and four others were reported missing as tropical storm “Juaning” (international codename Nock-Ten) intensified further and moved closer to the country yesterday, officials said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said storm warning signal no. 2 was hoisted over

Camarines provinces; Albay; Catanduanes; Pangasinan; Nueva Ecija; Zambales; Pampanga; Tarlac; Bulacan; Bataan; Rizal; Cavite; Laguna; Batangas; Quezon; Polillo Island and Metro Manila as of 5 p.m. yesterday.

Signal no. 1, meanwhile, was up in Ilocos Norte; Ilocos Sur; Apayao; Cagayan; Abra; Kalinga; Isabela; Mountain Province; Ifugao; La Union; Benguet; Nueva Vizcaya; Quirino; Aurora; Mindoro provinces; Lubang Island; Marinduque; Romblon; Burias Island; Masbate; Ticao Island and Sorsogon.

Citing field reports, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos said all the fatalities were residents of the Bicol region.

Raffy Alejandro, civil defense director for Bicol, said seven of the fatalities were from Albay province. He said two persons were reported killed in Catanduanes while one died in Camarines Sur.

Of the seven fatalities from Albay, three were from Polangui, two were from Pio Duran, one was from Tiwi and one was from Daraga.

On the other hand, the two fatalities from Catanduanes were from Baras while that in Camarines Sur was from Tinambac.

Initial reports showed that the three fatalities from Polangui died in a landslide. The causes of death of the other victims were electrocution, drowning and injuries caused by fallen trees.

NDRRMC has yet to release the identities of the fatalities as well as the detailed causes of their deaths.

On the other hand, the missing persons were fishermen battered by bad weather. Two of them were from Rapu-Rapu in Albay while two others were from Catanduanes.

Fourteen fishermen from Polillo, Quezon were reported missing yesterday morning but were rescued in the afternoon. Ramos said the 14 were found by authorities in Quezon town.

Ramos said more than 107,000 families in Bicol have been affected by Juaning.

“A total of 107,938 families were affected and temporarily displaced, most of them evacuating to the nearest and safest residence, barangay hall, chapels or day care centers,” he said.

Ramos said a total of 630 passengers, 17 trucks, nine cars, eight vessels and 12 passenger buses were stranded at the ports of Matnog, Pilar, Tabaco and Pio Duran, all in Albay and in Pasacao, Catanduanes.

NDRRMC officials have activated Task Force NCR (National Capital Region) to monitor the effects of the storm in Metro Manila.

Some domestic flights were cancelled yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 due to Juaning.

Philippine Airlines cancelled their flight to Legaspi and its turnaround flight. AirphilExpress cancelled 10 flights; Zest Air, six flights; and Cebu Pacific, 16.

Classes suspended

Children in Navotas play in floodwaters spawned by tropical storm ‘Juaning’ yesterday. JONJON VICENCIO

Afternoon classes in public and private schools in Metro Manila, as well as neighboring provinces in South Luzon, were suspended by the Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday due to the heavy downpour and traffic jams in major thoroughfares.

Dr. Elena Ruiz, DepEd-National Capital Region director, announced the suspension of afternoon classes in Metro Manila for preschool, elementary and high school levels before 10 a.m.

The DepEd also announced the suspension of classes in the preschool level of both public and private schools in Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Central Luzon.

Classes from preschool to high school in parts of Calabarzon have also been suspended. The areas were Dasmariñas, Bacoor, Imus, Noveleta, Rosario, Kawit, Tanza and General Trias towns in Cavite; San Pablo City in Laguna and Lipa City and Batangas City in Batangas.

In Quezon province, classes in the preschool level in both private and public schools were also suspended.

DepEd’s automatic default system provides for the automatic suspension of classes during weather disturbances, which provided that classes in preschools are automatically suspended when signal no. 1 is raised by the state weather bureau and classes in preschool, elementary, and secondary are automatically suspended when signal no. 2 is raised.

“Furthermore, and depending on actual conditions in a locality, the local government and school authorities may exercise their discretion to suspend classes,” DepEd said.

Meanwhile, the Air Force yesterday dispatched a rescue team and a helicopter to assist flood victims in Albay.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Okol said the 505th Search and Rescue Group has been tapped to rescue affected residents in the province.

“The rescue team was able to pluck 30 residents from rampaging flood waters around the surrounding communities of Albay, while at least 75 others were brought to different evacuation centers,” Okol said.

NDRRMC said the Philippine National Police has directed its ground units to take precautionary measures to address possible landslides and flashfloods.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), on the other hand, has provided relief assistance worth P2,085,828 to affected local government units in Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.

Some 1,000 sacks of rice, 500 blankets, 600 plastic mats and 2,000 packs of clothing items for Camarines Sur worth P1,748,328 were released to the areas, the DSWD said.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Juaning was spotted at 50 kms northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

Juaning was moving west-northwest toward Quezon area at 15 kph.

PAGASA weather division chief Robert Sawi said Juaning was expected to make landfall over Quezon this morning.

“Most parts of Central and Southern Luzon will be wet on Wednesday,” Sawi told a press briefing.

Juaning is expected to be 50 kms south of Dagupan City this afternoon and 360 kms west of Laoag City tomorrow afternoon.

Sawi said Juaning is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow.

PAGASA said Juaning would enhance the southwest monsoon and bring widespread rains over the rest of Luzon and western Visayas. – With Helen Flores, Rudy Santos, Jaime Laude, Evelyn Macairan, Celso Amo, Rainier Allan Ronda, Cecille Suerte Felipe