Leon weakens after battering Batanes, to leave PAR

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Leon was forecast to leave the Philippine area of responsibility last night after battering Batanes, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Leon weakened into typhoon category yesterday and will continue to weaken after crossing Taiwan’s landmass.

Leon (Kong-rey) was monitored 320 kilometers north-northwest of Itbayat, Batanes as it moves northwestward at 25 km per hour, carrying maximum sustained winds of 155 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 255 kph

Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 2 was still raised over the northern portion of Batanes yesterday afternoon.

Signal No.1 was hoisted over the rest of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of mainland Cagayan, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte.

PAGASA said that there is still a moderate risk of life-threatening storm surge with peak heights of two to three meters above normal tide levels over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Batanes.

The trough of Leon is bringing scattered rains over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon. Visayas and Mindanao may see isolated rains due to localized thunderstorms.

Marcos: Government in full control

The government has enough assets to address the effects of Typhoon Leon and is in full control of the situation, President Marcos said yesterday.

In a statement, Marcos gave assurance that state agencies and instrumentalities remain on full alert and are ready to deploy aid wherever needed.

“I assure the Filipino people that the government is ably handling all disaster management efforts. We remain in full control,” the President said.

“Our resources and personnel may be stretched due to the impact of typhoons on multiple fronts. Nevertheless, we have sufficient assets to mitigate the worst impact, recover from the wreckage, and rebuild stronger than before,” he added.

Marcos said the government is continuously undertaking relief and recovery efforts in areas hit by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine while ramping up preparations for Leon.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said systems are in place to assist the areas affected by Leon.

“Our system is intact. Our command and control remain intact. During and after the calamity, all agencies of our government are continuously working together,” OCD administrator Ariel Nepomuceno told state-run People’s Television.

Nepomuceno said Marcos has instructed the OCD to prioritize the supply of potable water, food, medical aid and financial support to areas hit by Kristine and Leon. Affected residents would also be given support in repairing their houses and in buying their needs, he said.

Dams increase water release

Dam officials have increased the release of water from Ambuklao Dam and Binga Dam in Benguet, opening two gates each amid the rains brought by Typhoon Leon.

As of 8 a.m. on Thursday, two gates of Ambuklao Dam were opened at one meter and began releasing water at 112.48 cubic meter per second (cms) after its elevation reached 751.87 meters or just 0.13 meters below its normal high-water level of 752 meters.

Two gates of Binga Dam were also opened at one meter and started releasing water at 127.42 cms after it reached 574.55 meters or 0.45 meters below its normal high-water level of 575 meters.

Meanwhile, one gate of Magat Dam in Isabela remained open at two meters and released water at 341 cms after it reached 185.42 meters. It is still 7.58 meters below its normal high-water level of 193 meters.

On the other hand, the water level of Angat Dam dropped by 0.02 meters after it reached 202.51 meters. Ipo Dam in Bulacan also dropped 0.04 meters after it reached 100.2 meters.

La Mesa Dam in Quezon City reached 79.51 after it increased by 0.08 meters, while San Roque Dam in Pangasinan reached 276.61 meters after it increased by 0.16 meters.

Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija improved by 0.21 meters after it reached 208.4 meters. Caliraya Dam in Laguna dropped by 0.13 meters after it reached 287.25 meters.

Flight cancellations

AirAsia Philippines announced the cancellation of eight international flights yesterday from Manila-Taipei-Manila on flights Z2 128/129, Z2 124/125, Z2 128/129 and flights Z2 132/133 Manila-Kaohsiung-Manila due to Typhoon Leon.

“These proactive measures ensure the safety and well-being of our flight crew and guest, while we work diligently to bring them to their destinations as soon as it is safe to do so,” AirAsia Communications and Public Affairs Head and First Officer Steve Dailisan said.

Affected passengers may avail themselves of the following service recovery options; free change flight to any new travel date of choice within 30 days, obtain a full refund in the amount equivalent to your booking which will be refunded to the original form of payment.

Meanwhile, Cebgo canceled two domestic flights from Manila-San Jose-Manila on Friday. – Alexis Romero, Bella Cariaso, Rudy Santos