Pagasa replaces names of 3 destructive typhoons

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has released new tropical cyclone names that will replace Santi, Labuyo and Yolanda, the three destructive cyclones that hit the country last year.

Salome, Lannie and Yasmin will replace the names Santi, Labuyo and Yolanda, respectively, PAGASA weather division chief Robert Sawi said.

PAGASA has decommissioned the names due to their huge damage on infrastructure and agriculture and number of lives lost.

Santi slammed Northern Luzon in October, leaving damage to property amounting to P3.287 billion and 15 deaths.

Labuyo also pummeled Northern Luzon in August last year, leaving P1.4-billion damage to properties.

Yolanda, considered as the world’s strongest cyclone in 2013, left more than 6,000 people dead and P36.69-billion damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

PAGASA deputy administrator Flaviana Hilario said a local typhoon name is decommissioned if losses amount to over P1 billion.

PAGASA said the decommissioning of destructive storms has been practiced since February 1979.

PAGASA early this year released the list of names of tropical cyclones for 2014.

Two cyclones - Agaton and Basyang - have entered the country so far this year.

The other codenames that will be used this year are Caloy, Domeng, Ester, Florita, Glenda, Henry, Inday, Juan, Katring, Luis, Mario, Neneng, Ompong, Paeng, Queenie, Ruby, Seniang, Tomas, Usman, Venus, Waldo, Yayang and Zeny.

Following its “Name-a-Bagyo Contest” in 1999, the agency came out with four sets of 25 names with 10 auxiliary or “reserve” names.

The auxiliary list is used in the event that the number of tropical cyclones within the year exceeds 25.