‘Pablo’ reduced to low-pressure area

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon “Pablo” (international name Bopha) was reduced to a low-pressure area (LPA) as of yesterday afternoon after veering to Northern Luzon from Mindanao.

Forecaster Melo Mendoza of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said they have noticed Pablo weaken since early yesterday morning.

As of 11 p.m. of Saturday, Pablo was still a typhoon but at 5 a.m. yesterday, it had weakened and had become a storm.

It was downgraded to a tropical depression by 10 a.m. As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Pablo was classified as an LPA.

Mendoza said cold winds that the northeast monsoon (amihan) had brought destroyed Pablo’s circulation and caused it to weaken.

“It did not even make landfall,” he said.  “It was already destroyed even before it could hit land.”

As of yesterday afternoon, Pablo was already in the vicinity of the waters of Ilocos Norte.

The LPA that was estimated to be at 105 kilometers west of Laoag City and the northeast monsoon affecting Northern Luzon.

Today, the regions of Cagayan Valley and Cordillera and the Ilocos provinces are expected to experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with brief rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to north would prevail over the Northern and Central Luzon.

The coastal waters along these areas would be moderate to rough.

In the Ilocos provinces, intermittent rains lasted for 10 minutes at most yesterday. Most of the time, the day was sunny and bright. 

On Saturday night, heavy rains and strong winds struck but dissipated at daybreak yesterday.  

Despite the calm weather, the Ilocos Sur Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council did not allow residents of low-lying areas to return to their homes.

The office of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson asked local officials to monitor the coastal areas and advise seaside residents to stay out of the water until Pablo has left the province.

Disaster officials feared the occurrence of storm surges in coastal barangays.

Among those evacuated were student-campers who attended the 31st Ilocos Sur Council Jamborette in Santa town.

In South Cotabato, 345 families comprising 3,000 people were evacuated after flashfloods from heavy rains hit 12 barangays in Banga town in the upper valley area yesterday.

South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. has ordered the provincial social welfare and development office (PSWDO) to assist the municipal social and welfare development office (MSWDO) to extend relief assistance to the affected families.

MSWDO deputy Jane Lubaton said the evacuees, mostly children, are staying at the higher grounds of the flooded barangays Lambingi, Lam-afus, Lamba, San Jose, Improgo, Yangco, Benitez, Reyes, Cabuling, Punong Grande, Drilon and El Nonok.

Of the 12 barangays, Cabuling was severely affected by floods, which destroyed 53 hectares planted to palay and corn.

Dikes protecting some of the barangays were also destroyed as heavy rains caused Sepali River to overflow, a report from the town’s disaster risk reduction and management council said.

Banga Mayor Henry Ladot said he did not expect flooding in the barangays since Pablo had already left the country.

In Albay, Gov. Joey Salceda called on the Department of Public Works and Highways to construct typhoon-resistant evacuation centers. He said the DPWH can provide a  design standard for the local governments to construct typhoon-resistant evacuation centers, including  public gyms, school buildings, churches and public facilities. 

– With Teddy Molina, Ramil Bajo, Celso Amo