'Gener' death toll up at 8

MANILA, Philippines - One more person has been confirmed killed during the onslaught of typhoon "Gener" on Sunday, bringing the death toll to eight.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) identified the latest fatality as Ieyan Hayo, 28, of Mariveles, Bataan.

The seven other fatatalities were Ronald Recor, 33; Ernest Flores, 60; Bernard Buzon, 35; Teodoro Flores, 40; Merly Datingginoo, 45; Danieles Hipolito, between 32 and 35 years old; and Reynante Lingasad Jr., 10.

Majority of the victims died from drowning, including the latest fatality. The 60-year-old Flores was a passenger of M/V Shuttle Roro 1 that ran aground on Sunday while the other Flores died after his house in Laguna province was hit by a falling coconut tree.

Lingasad, the youngest of the fatalities, drowned while swimming with his family at the Galas Beach Resort in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.

Meanwhile, a total of 8,298 families or 40,477 individuals were affected by the typhoon in 14 provinces in Luzon, parts of Visayas and Mindanao.

'Gener' almost stationary

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that as of Tuesday afternoon, the typhoon's direction shifted from north northwest to north as it continued to move slowly over the extreme Northern Luzon.

As of 4 p.m., the typhoon's center was estimated at 260 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 150 kph.

PAGASA had predicted that the typhoon will exit the country on Thursday night.

Public storm warning signal No. 3 was still hoisted over Batanes Group of Islands; Signal No. 2 over Cagayan, Cagalayan Group of Islands, and Babuyan Group of Islands; Signal No. 1 in Isabela, Kalinga and Apayao.

PAGASA said that Metro Manila and a large part of Luzon, particularly Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), will experience heavy rains throughout the day.

Areas affected by the storm are warned against possible flashfloods and landslides.