Wilma brewing off Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - Two days after Typhoon Vinta left the country, another possible storm is brewing off Mindanao and might enter the Philippine area of responsibility today.

Jori Loiz, senior weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said they detected a new low-pressure area which is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this morning.

As of yesterday afternoon, the low-pressure area was still in the Pacific Ocean, and it might enter east of Mindanao.

Loiz said it would depend if the low-pressure area would be able to maintain its speed.

He added they are not discounting the possibility that it would intensify into a tropical depression because it was still in the water and could gather strength.

“It would also depend if the conditions are favorable to its development into a tropical depression,” he said.

There is also a chance that the low-pressure area would dissipate.

If it turns into a tropical cyclone it would be the 23rd to enter the country this year and would be named Wilma.

Damage

 Vinta, on the other hand, left the country over the weekend with more than 30,038 families or 150,000 local residents from 29 towns in Cagayan province affected by the storm.

Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio said the number of storm-affected residents increased and damage estimate of destroyed crops went up to more than P38 million yesterday.

The towns of Abulug, Camalaniugan, Penablanca, Piat, Rizal, Solana, Sta. Ana, Tuao, Tuguegarao City and the island town of Calayan have yet to submit their disaster report to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) due communication problems, as most areas in the province are still without power.

“The first and second district are still without power,” Antonio said.

He added communication facilities by mobile phone providers in the province have yet to be fully restored.

While there were no reported deaths from the storm, nine people were injured, three each from Sanchez Mira, Buguey and Lallo towns.

“As of yesterday, 376 barangays, 30,038 families or 153,391 individuals were affected by the storm,” Antonio said in his report to Cagayan Valley Office of Civil Defense director Norma Talosig.

Out of 15,885 houses that were damaged by Vinta, Antonio said 2,315 were completely destroyed.

“The province of Cagayan suffered huge losses in agriculture, livestock and fisheries and damage to infrastructure,” Antonio said.

The PDRRMC gave an initial assessment of P38 million damage to rice, corn and high value crops as well fish cages and fishponds, and P48 million damage to infrastructure in 17 towns.

Bonnie Cuarteros of the Cagayan PDRRMC said there are 2,315 totally damaged and 15,855 partially damaged houses in the province.

The PDRRMC is requesting P100 million from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to fund the rehabilitation in the province.

On the other hand, most parts of Cagayan’s first and second districts are still without electricity as of yesterday due to toppled electric posts and damaged cable lines.

The Cagayan Electric Cooperative (Cagelco) is exerting all efforts to restore power in the province.

Cagelco director John Trinidad said a total of 110 electric posts from the stretch of Iguig, Amulung, Alcala and Baggao were toppled by the strong winds of Vinta.

He said it would cost the electric cooperative at least P1 million to restore the pylons.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional spokesman Nestor

Marallag said among those affected by Vinta are the northern towns of Baggao, Amulung, Alcala, Gattaran, Camalaniugan, Lallo, Gonzaga, Sta.

Teresita, Buguey and Sta. Ana.

In Tuguegarao City, Claire Callangan from the Office of Mayor Jefferson Soriano said the capital did not sustain damage from the storm except for a few toppled electric posts.

She said there is no reported damage to crops since farmers have already harvested. – Evelyn Macairan, Jaime Laude, Raymund Catindig, Charlie Lagasca, Teddy Molina