Isang leaves 2 dead, 2 hurt in Ilocos Sur

MANILA, Philippines - Two minors died after they were hit by lightning during the height of Tropical Storm Isang, disaster management officials said yesterday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the fatalities, identified as Rhea Jane Maseliones, 8, and Raymund Jay Maseliones, 11, were hit by lightning at 9:10 p.m. in Barangay Farola in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.

Two other persons, Evelyn Cabarsi, 31, and Elejo Cabarsi, 23, were injured during the incident.

Local disaster management units have provided assistance to the victims.

Isang affected several areas in Luzon and the Visayas. It left the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday. But the NDRRMC said the Coast Guard in Aurora province and northeastern Luzon remains on alert and has advised fishermen not to venture out to sea because of big waves.

SONA day rainy

Rains are expected to prevail over Metro Manila and other parts of western Luzon on Monday when President Aquino delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

PAGASA said Metro Manila will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon and evening.

A monsoon trough, meanwhile, will bring cloudy skies and light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms over the western section of Luzon.

A gradual improvement of weather is expected over the western section of Luzon tomorrow as the monsoon trough weakens.

However, PAGASA weather forecaster Ricky Fabregas said a low-pressure area was spotted 460 kilometers east of southern Mindanao yesterday. The low-pressure area is embedded along the intertropical convergence zone.

PAGASA weather division chief Robert Sawi said the low-pressure area is expected to bring scattered to widespread rains over the Visayas and Mindanao in the next three days.

But Metro Manila will have good weather apart from afternoon or evening rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Fabregas also said that the low-pressure area west of Coron, Palawan moved away from the country yesterday.              – With Helen Flores