‘Bising’ weakens after dumping rain on Bicol

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical depression “Bising” weakened yesterday into a low-pressure area after dumping heavy rains over the Bicol region last Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported yesterday.

The low-pressure area was spotted at 985 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan as of 4 p.m. yesterday.

The weather bureau, however, warned operators of fishing boats and other small sea vessels to avoid sailing into the eastern coastal areas of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon due to heavy rains brought by the northeast monsoon.

PAGASA said Bicol and the Samar provinces would experience cloudy skies with occasional light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms until today.

Cagayan Valley, the Cordilleras and Ilocos would be cloudy with light rains.

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

Bising, the second tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, brought rains that caused floods in low-lying areas in Albay and displaced at least 13,000 residents.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 5,454 families in 66 barangays have been affected by the typhoon.

The affected persons included those residing in flooded areas, those displaced and are now in evacuation centers or with their relatives, and those who lost properties.

NDRRMC said 2,756 families or 7,880 persons were still staying in 25 evacuation centers.

The affected residents were from Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN and Caraga regions.

 NDRRMC said 229 passengers, 30 rolling cargoes and six vessels in Albay have been stranded due to the bad weather.  â€“ With Alexis Romero